Neolitsea australiensis

Location & distribution maps

Common name:         Green Bolly Gum

Conservation status: . . .

Etymology:   

•  The genus name Neolitsea is a combination of the Ancient Greek word néos (meaning "new") and the pre-existing genus name Litsea

• The members of Neolitsea were mostly transferred from Litsea

• Greek neos, new; Litsea, from the Mandarin characters li; plum, and tse, little

• The specific epithet is derived from "Australia", and the Latin "ensis"; meaning "native of Australia"

Flowers:

• Scented cream flowers form in stalk-less clusters from March to September

Fruit:                            

• The fruit are larger than those of Neolitsea dealbata, 20 mm long and 14 mm wide, the seed is pointed, around 10 mm long

• The fruit is eaten by a variety of birds, including green catbird, regent bowerbird, satin bowerbird, topknot pigeon and white-headed pigeon

• Removal of the black aril is advised for propagation by seed

Leaves:         

• Leaves are pointed; ovate to elliptic in shape, 6 to 13 cm long, 2 to 6 cm wide

• Glossy above and pale grey below

• The leaf stem is green, between 12 and 20 mm long. Leaf veins are prominent, with three to five lateral veins

• The basal pair of veins starts around 5 mm from the leaf base and travels for about half the leaf length in a curve

• Twigs are smooth, either brown or green

Stem & branches: 

• Bark is smooth and dark brown on a cylindrical trunk

Roots:         

Habit:        

• Usually seen from 6–15 m tall with a stem diameter of 25 cm

• However, at Murray Scrub, it is 40 m tall with a trunk diameter of 50 cm

Habitat:   

• An under-storey tree found in rainforests 

• Often found on the better more fertile alluvial or volcanic soils

Distribution:                  

• New South Wales and Queensland, north from Ourimbah to near Maryborough, Queensland

Additional notes: 

• In the field it may be difficult to distinguish between the similar Cryptocarya rigida and Neolitsea dealbata

Sources of information:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neolitsea_australiensis (2024)

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neolitsea_australiensis (2024)