Elaeocarpus grahamii facts for kids

Elaeocarpus grahamii is a cool flowering plant that belongs to the Elaeocarpaceae family. You can only find it growing naturally in north-east Queensland, Australia. This tree is usually small to medium-sized. It has leaves shaped like eggs and pretty flowers with five frilly petals. Later, it grows oval-shaped blue fruits.

What Does Elaeocarpus grahamii Look Like?

Elaeocarpus grahamii is a tree that can be small or medium-sized. Sometimes, it grows new shoots from its base, which is called "coppicing." Its leaves usually grow in groups near the ends of its branches.

Leaves, Flowers, and Fruit

The leaves of this tree are shaped like an ellipse or an egg. They are about 80–150 mm (3.1–5.9 in) long and 25–60 mm (0.98–2.36 in) wide. Each leaf has a small stem called a petiole, which is about 10–25 mm (0.39–0.98 in) long.

The flowers grow in groups of fifteen to thirty. They are on a thin stem called a rachis, which is 30–80 mm (1.2–3.1 in) long. Each flower has its own small stem, a pedicel, about 6–12 mm (0.24–0.47 in) long.

Each flower has five sepals, which are like small leaves protecting the bud. These are about 6 mm (0.24 in) long. The five petals are oblong, about 7–7.5 mm (0.28–0.30 in) long. The tip of each petal is frilly, with fourteen to eighteen tiny lobes. There are about fifteen stamens, which produce pollen. The part of the flower that becomes the fruit, called the ovary, is smooth.

This tree usually flowers from October to November. After flowering, it produces a blue, oval-shaped fruit. This fruit is a type of drupe, similar to a plum or cherry. It is about 10–11 mm (0.39–0.43 in) long and 8 mm (0.31 in) wide.

How Was This Tree Named?

The plant Elaeocarpus grahamii was officially described for the first time in 1876. This was done by a famous botanist named Ferdinand von Mueller. He wrote about it in his book, Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae.

The Story Behind the Name

The plant material von Mueller used to describe the tree was collected by Eugene Fitzalan. This happened near the Daintree River in Queensland. The second part of the plant's scientific name, grahamii, is a special tribute. It honors George Graham, who was a friend of von Mueller. This way of naming plants with two parts is called binomial nomenclature.

Where Does Elaeocarpus grahamii Grow?

You can find Elaeocarpus grahamii growing in rainforests. It prefers coastal lowland areas. These trees grow at high altitudes, usually between 600 and 1,550 m (1,970 and 5,090 ft) above sea level.

Its Home in Queensland

This specific type of quandong tree only grows in a certain part of Queensland. Its natural home is limited to the area between Cape Tribulation and Mission Beach.

Is Elaeocarpus grahamii Endangered?

The good news is that this quandong tree is not considered to be in danger. The Queensland Government lists it as of "least concern." This means there are enough of these trees in the wild. This listing is under their Nature Conservation Act 1992.