Owenia acidula

Owenia acidula
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Meliaceae
Genus: Owenia
Species: O. acidula
Binomial name
Owenia acidula

Owenia acidula, commonly known as Emu apple, is small or medium-sized tree of outback woodlands native to Australia. It may grow to ten metres tall.[1]

The pinnate leaves are bright green and shiny, with leaflets 2–5 cm long. Broken twigs ooze a milky sap. The edible fruit is purplish-red with paler speckles, 2–4 cm wide with a large stone-like seed.

Uses

The fruit pulp is an Aboriginal bushfood and apparently causes hallucinations. They ripen after coming off the tree, and have a sour flavor.[2]

References

  1. http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Owenia~acidula
  2. Low,T., Wild Food Plants of Australia, 1988. ISBN 0-207-16930-6


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