Davidsonia
Davidsonia Plum
Davidsonia Plum
Wikipedia links: Angiosperms > Eudicots > Rosids > Oxalidales > Cunoniaceae > Davidsonia
Other links:
Common name: Davidsonia Plum
Conservation status: varies
Of the 3 species, 2 are endangered
Etymology:
Named after John Ewen Davidson (1841-1923) who arrived in Cardwell in December 1865 with the view of establishing a sugar cane planation in Rockingham Bay
The naming probably arose from the chance meeting between Dallachy and Davidson, during the time when Dallachy made the first herbarium collection of D. pruriens
Flowers:
Fruit:
All species have an edible sour fruit with burgundy-coloured flesh and are highly regarded as gourmet bushfood
The fruits superficially resemble the European plum, but are not closely related
Leaves:
Stem & branches:
Roots:
Habit:
Shrub or tree
Habitat:
Rainforest
Distribution:
NSW and Queensland
Species:
World: 3
Australia: 3
Additional notes:
There are three species: Davidsonia jerseyana, Davidsonia johnsonii and Davidsonia pruriens
Overview of species:
D jerseyana:
Davidson's plum or Mullumbimby plum
A slender small tree, generally 5 m high,
Native to lowland subtropical rainforests of NSW
It is considered an endangered species in the wild
Widely cultivated for its pleasantly sour fruit that is used in jam, wine, ice-cream and sauces
D johnsonii:
Smooth Davidson's plum
A small tree with a spreading canopy and smooth leaves
Native to NSW and southeast Queensland
It is also considered an endangered species in the wild
Not widely cultivated because of its infertile seeds
It is propagated vegetatively from cuttings or root division
D pruriens
Ooray or Queensland Davidson's plum
A taller tree than the other two species, reaching up to 12 m high
It is also slender and has larger fruit which are produced in large clusters from the trunk or branches.
Small-scale plantations in NSW and Queensland supply the demand, mainly from Davidsonia jerseyana and Davidsonia pruriens
Davidsonia pruriens
Davidsonia jerseyana
Davidsonia johnsonii
Sources of information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davidsonia (Jan 2024)
A revision of Davidsonia (July 2000) ... downloaded from PlantNET NSW (Jan 2024)