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Umbrella Cheese Tree

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Glochidion sumatranum

Plant Number: 50

Common Name: Umbrella Cheese Tree

Scientific NameGlochidion sumatranum

Derivation of name

Glochidion – from the Greek word 'glochin' or 'glochis' meaning projected point which refers to the toothed style of some species

sumatranum -  refers to the island of Sumatra in Indonesia ​where it is also found

Description

  • Found naturally growing across eastern Australia in rainforests and humid eucalypt forests growing up to 25 m but usually 15 m high in clay or sandy soils

  • Roots are buttressed with bark fissured, flaky and papery

  • Name 'cheese tree' originated from the fruit's resemblance to small cheese wheels and are 20 mm in size but are also described as pumpkin-shaped, which are green at first before turning shades of white and pink

  • Fruit when they split open reveal bright red 0.5 cm seeds from November to April

  • Plants rely on the leafflower moths (Epicephala spp.) for its pollination and they also lay their eggs inside the flowers, where their caterpillars later consume the developing seeds in the fruit

  • Umbrella Cheese Tree fruit has an empty carpel chamber where E. colymbetella caterpillars pupate, and adult moths emerge

  • Live for more than 60 years and seeds take 1-4 months to germinate

  • Is able to resprout after brushfire

Human uses

The dried fruit, are found in potpourri and sold as "putka pods".

The fruits are eaten by several bird species and the leaves eaten by larvae of Shining Pencil-blue (Candalides helenita) and Common Oak-blue (Arhopala micale) butterflies.  

Acknowledgment:  Mangroves to Mountain, Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants, The Complete Field Guide to Butterflies of Australia

Photo credit: Tatiana Gerus & Mark Marathon



 

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Last reviewed 13 September 2024
Last updated 13 September 2024