''Cryptocarya laevigata'', known as the glossy laurel or red-fruited laurel, is a

rainforest Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainfores ...

plant growing in eastern

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. The natural range of distribution is rainforest understorey on fertile soils, from the

Richmond River, New South Wales The Richmond River is a river situated in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia. Course and features The river rises at the northern end of the Richmond Range, near its junction with the McPherson Range, on the Queensla ...

Cairns Cairns (, ) is a city in Queensland, Australia, on the tropical north east coast of Far North Queensland. The population in June 2019 was 153,952, having grown on average 1.02% annually over the preceding five years. The city is the 5th-most-p ...

in tropical

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

. Often seen in association with the

White Booyong ''Argyrodendron trifoliolatum'' is an Australian rainforest tree. It is native to eastern Queensland and northeastern NSW, Australia, where it is known as white booyong. Booyong, New South Wales is named after the tree. It can grow up to 45 metr ...

Description

''Cryptocarya laevigata'' is a shrub or small tree, occasionally reaching 6 metres in height and with a trunk diameter of . The bark is brown and smooth apart from vertical raised bumps. Leaves alternate, elliptical in shape, smooth edged with a long blunt tip. ''Glossy above and below''. The leaf features a mid rib and two other lateral veins, giving a three veined appearance. Other leaf veins indistinct. Small, cream, scented flowers form on

panicle A panicle is a much-branched inflorescence. (softcover ). Some authors distinguish it from a compound spike inflorescence, by requiring that the flowers (and fruit) be pedicellate (having a single stem per flower). The branches of a panicle are of ...

s from October to December. The fruit is an orange or red

drupe In botany, a drupe (or stone fruit) is an indehiscent fruit in which an outer fleshy part (exocarp, or skin, and mesocarp, or flesh) surrounds a single shell (the ''pit'', ''stone'', or '' pyrena'') of hardened endocarp with a seed (''kernel'') ...

, in diameter. The single woody seed is pointed and ''prominently ribbed'', like many other Australian

Cryptocarya ''Cryptocarya'' is a genus of evergreen trees belonging to the laurel family, Lauraceae. The genus includes more than 350 species, distributed through the Neotropical, Afrotropical, Indomalayan, and Australasian realms. Overview The genus inc ...

seeds. The fruit is ripe from to January to May. Like most Australian

fruit, removal of the slimy red

aril An aril (pronounced ), also called an arillus, is a specialized outgrowth from a seed that partly or completely covers the seed. An arillode or false aril is sometimes distinguished: whereas an aril grows from the attachment point of the see ...

is advised to assist seed germination. Roots and shoots usually appear within three to twelve months.

Uses

The glossy leaves, small size and attractive red fruit make it suitable as an ornamental tree.

References

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External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q5190846 Trees of Australia Flora of New South Wales Flora of Queensland Laurales of Australia laevigata Ornamental trees