About Atractocarpus benthamianus (F.Muell.) Puttock
Atractocarpus benthamianus grows as a woody shrub or small tree, reaching 8 m (25 ft) in height. Its trunk does not form buttresses, but may be crooked; it is covered in smooth grey bark that has horizontal markings and long lenticels. New growth is hairy on plants found north of Coffs Harbour (30° S). The large, glossy dark green leaves are obovate to lanceolate, measuring 8–20 cm (3–8 in) long by 2–4 cm wide, and are arranged in whorls of 3 to 4 on the branches. Both the midrib and leaf veins are prominent. Small, white, fragrant flowers grow in clusters of two or three from June to November; each flower has five lanceolate petals arranged around a central tube. The flower fragrance has been compared to that of common gardenia. The oval-shaped orange fruit ripens from May to September, and contains 14 to 18 seeds embedded in pulp. This species is distributed from Forster (32° S) on the New South Wales mid-north coast, northward to Nambour (26° S) in Queensland. It grows in warm temperate to subtropical rainforests in wetter climate regions. Thanks to its bushy lush foliage, fragrant flowers, and colourful fruit, it has horticultural potential for gardens in warm temperate and subtropical climates. It is well suited to shady garden positions, or moderately to brightly lit indoor spaces.
