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Chionanthus ramiflorus
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| Chionanthus ramiflorus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Flowers and leaves | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Oleaceae |
| Genus: | Chionanthus |
| Species: | C. ramiflorus
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| Binomial name | |
| Chionanthus ramiflorus | |
| Synonyms[3] | |
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44 synonyms
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Chionanthus ramiflorus, commonly known in Australia as northern olive or native olive, is a species of plant in the olive family Oleaceae. It is native to the regions from India and Nepal, through southern China and South East Asia to the Australian state of Queensland.
Description
[edit]Chionanthus ramiflorus is an evergreen shrub or tree that can reach up to 23 m (75 ft) in height. The trunk and branches are pale, the leafy twigs are circular in cross section. The glossy green leaves are usually about 8 to 20 cm (3.1 to 7.9 in) long and 4 to 7 cm (1.6 to 2.8 in) wide, and elliptic to oblong-elliptic. They are attached to the twig with a petiole up to 5 cm (2.0 in) long and they have 7–10 lateral veins on either side of the midrib.[4][5][6]
The inflorescence is a panicle up to 12 cm (4.7 in) long. They carry numerous small white or yellow flowers, each of which have four petals about 2.5 mm (0.10 in) long. The fruit is a blue-black, ovoid drupe about 25 mm (1.0 in) long and 15 mm (0.6 in) diameter.[4][5]
Distribution and habitat
[edit]It is native to the following regions as defined in the World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions:[3][7]
- China: South-Central, China Southeast, Hainan
- Eastern Asia: Taiwan
- Indian Subcontinent: Assam, Bangladesh, East Himalaya, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, West Himalaya
- Indo-China: Andaman Islands, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Nicobar Islands, Thailand, Vietnam
- Malesia: Borneo, Lesser Sunda Islands, Malaya, Maluku, Philippines, Sulawesi, Sumatera
- Papuasia: New Guinea, Solomon Islands
- Australia: Queensland
The species grows in evergreen or deciduous forests, such as rainforest, monsoon forest, and littoral forest. In Australia it is recorded at altitudes from sea level up to about 600 m (2,000 ft), up to 1,500 m (4,900 ft) in Thailand and 2,000 m (6,600 ft) in China, while in Nepal it occurs between 400 and 500 m (1,300 and 1,600 ft).[4][8][5]
Taxonomy
[edit]It was originally described by Scottish botanist William Roxburgh in 1820, but since then numerous authors have put forward many alternate names, resulting in numerous synonyms now being recognised.[3]
Conservation
[edit]The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) assessed this species in 2024, giving it a status of least concern. In its statement, the IUCN cites the plant's large numbers and wide distribution, as well as the absence of any discernable threats, as the basis for its evaluation.[1]
Ecology
[edit]The fruit of this plant is eaten by cassowaries, figbirds, koels, Torres Strait pigeons,[6][9] and golden bowerbirds.[10] The leaves are eaten by Lumholtz's tree-kangaroos.[9]
Gallery
[edit]-
Flowers and buds -
Immature fruit -
Mature fruit -
Trunk of large tree
References
[edit]- ^ a b IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group; Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) (2024). "Chionanthus ramiflorus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2024 e.T33349A250194820. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2024-2.RLTS.T33349A250194820.en. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
- ^ "Chionanthus ramiflorus Roxb". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
- ^ a b c d "Chionanthus ramiflorus Roxb". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
- ^ a b c F.A.Zich; B.P.M.Hyland; T.Whiffen; R.A.Kerrigan (2020). "Chionanthus ramiflorus". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants Edition 8 (RFK8). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
- ^ a b c "Chionanthus ramiflorus Roxburgh, Fl. Ind. 1: 106. 1820". Flora of China. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
- ^ a b Cooper, Wendy; Cooper, William T. (June 2004). Fruits of the Australian Tropical Rainforest. Clifton Hill, Victoria, Australia: Nokomis Editions. p. 377. ISBN 978-0-9581742-1-3.
- ^ Brummitt, R.K. (2001). World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions (PDF) (2nd ed.). International Working Group on Taxonomic Databases For Plant Sciences (TDWG). Retrieved 4 February 2026.
- ^ "Chionanthus ramiflorus Roxb". World Flora Online. World Flora Online Consortium. 2026. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
- ^ a b Beasley, John (2009). Plants of Cape York - the compact guide. John Beasley. p. 87. ISBN 978-0-9806863-0-2.
- ^ J. H. Maiden (1889). The Useful Native Plants of Australia, (Including Tasmania). Sydney: The Technological Museum of New South Wales. p. 123. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
External links
[edit]
- Map of herbarium records of this species at the Australasian Virtual Herbarium
- Observations of this species on iNaturalist
- Images of this species on Flickriver.com