About Abrophyllum ornans (F.Muell.) Benth.
Abrophyllum ornans (F.Muell.) Benth. grows as shrubs or small trees reaching up to 8 meters (26 feet) in height. Its leaves are simple, alternate, large, and lanceolate with long-acuminate tips and subserrate margins; they most often measure 10 to 20 centimeters (3.9 to 7.9 inches) long and 3 to 8 centimeters (1.2 to 3.1 inches) wide. This species lacks stipules, and its leaf petioles are 20 to 40 millimeters (0.8 to 1.6 inches) long. Flowers are yellowish and arranged in terminal or axillary cymes. The calyx is short, approximately 2 millimeters (0.1 inches) long, tubular, deciduous, and usually has 5 lobes, sometimes 6. Petals measure 4 to 5 millimeters long, are usually 5 in number, sometimes 6, valvate, spreading, and deciduous. Stamens are usually 5, sometimes 6, inserted on the margin of an inconspicuous nectary disk; anthers are broadly oblong, and filaments are very short. The gynoecium is formed from 5 carpels, and the receptacle is patelliform. The ovary is superior, 5-locular, and holds numerous axile ovules; the stigma is sessile and 5-lobed. Fruits are oblong black berries about 8 to 12 millimeters (0.3 to 0.5 inches) long and 5 to 7 millimeters (0.20 to 0.28 inches) wide, crowned by the persistent stigma, and contain many seeds. Seeds are small, subglobose, with a deeply latticed testa; the embryo is very small, and the endosperm is fleshy and oily. This species is native to Australia, occurring in New South Wales and Queensland. It grows in warm-temperate and subtropical rainforest, particularly along smaller watercourses or in gullies on poorer soils. Its natural distribution range extends from the Illawarra region of New South Wales to the McIlwraith Range in far north Queensland. It is sometimes cultivated locally for its ornamental foliage and fruits.
