Syzygium ingens
Red Apple
Red Apple
Common name: Red Apple
Conservation status: Endangered
Etymology:
Flowers
The flowers are borne in panicles on the ends of branchlets, the panicles shorter than the leaves
The five sepals are fused at the base forming a bell-shaped floral cup about 3 mm in diameter with rounded lobes
The five petals are white, more or less oblong and 1–2 mm long with irregular edges
Flowering occurs from November to December
Fruit:
The fruit is a dark pink to red, spherical to oval berry, 25–30 mm long, 15–40 mm in diameter
Contains single seed surrounded by white flesh
Birds seen eating the fruit of this species include wompoo fruit dove, green catbird, eastern rosella, pied currawong and topknot pigeon
Leaves:
Are arranged in opposite pairs, narrow elliptic to oblong, 60–180 mm long and 20–50 mm wide
A reddish petiole 2–8 mm long
The upper surface of the leaves is glossy green and the lower surface is paler with a raised mid-rib
Stem & branches:
Typically grows to a height of up to 40 m
A dbh of up to 90 cm
It has a smooth, straight, greyish or fawn-coloured trunk that is buttressed at the base of older specimens
Roots:
Habit:
A medium-sized to tall tree
Habitat:
Grows on volcanic soil
Distribution:
Endemic to eastern Australia
From near Gympie in south eastern Queensland to Casino in northern NSW
Additional notes:
With narrow elliptic to oblong leaves and panicles of white flowers on the ends of branchlets, followed by spherical red berries.
Taxonomy
It was first formally described in 1861 by Charles Moore in Catalogue of the Natural and Industrial Products of NSW
This was exhibited in the School of Arts by the International Exhibition Commissioners and was given the name Nelitris ingens from an unpublished description by Ferdinand von Mueller
In 1988, Gordon P. Guymer and Bernard Hyland changed the name to Acmena ingens in the journal Muelleria
This name that is accepted by the National Herbarium of NSW
In 2006, Lyndley Craven and Edward Sturt Biffin changed Moore's name Nelitris ingens to Syzygium ingens in the journal Blumea, the name accepted by the Australian Plant Census
Horticulture
Germination is assisted by removing the seed from the flesh, and soaking for a day or two to kill any insect larvae
Germination is swift and reliable
Cuttings also strike well
Sources of information:
https://data.rbg.vic.gov.au/rbgcensus/census/taxon/1c015912-184e-44e0-b7d8-e75c79dd9e05 (Jan 2024 ... on Conservation status)