Atractocarpus fitzalanii formally Randia fitzalanii
Plant Number: 60
Common Name: Native
Gardenia, Yellow Mangosteen
Scientific Name: Atractocarpus fitzalanii
formerly Randia fitzalanii
Derivation of name
Atractocarpus – The genus name is derived from the Greek terms 'atractos' meaning spindle and 'karpos' meaning fruit due to the spindle-shaped fruit of the first recorded species
fitzalanii – named by Victorian State Botanist Ferdinand von Mueller, who named it in honour of the person who first collected it, Eugene Fitzalan who was a botanist who created the first botanical garden in Cairns
Description
- Common small tree found in tropical and sub-tropical forest in Far North Queensland to Mackay which grows to 5 -8 m
- Trunk has smooth, grey bark
- Flowers are fragrant white flowers from September to November with 5 petals with different sized male and female flowers
- Fruits are yellow and 3-4 cm in diameter, with many flat, triangular, whitish small seeds embedded in a rather dry pulp which ripen late summer to midwinter and edible when soft
- Spider mites can affect this tree and birds remove the fruit. They are easy to grow and can usefully grow in a container
Human uses
The raw fruit can be eaten.
Fauna Usage
The fruits are attractive to birds.
Acknowledgment: Rare Fruit Club, Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants
Photo: Tatiana Gerus