Long Grass Nature Refuge
Fauna and Flora Detail
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Scientific Name
Common Name
Type
Notes
Medium to large shrub or small tree to 7m. In cultivation to 2m. Grows in complex microphyll forest with Araucaria emergents from WA, NT, Qld and Northern NSW. Flowers are white clusters of tubular flowers. Summer. Useful shrub for attracting small birds. Very fragrant flowers. Grows in heavy shade. Fruit is green, then black when ripe, small and ovoid. Ripe Mar - May. Is edible, but only when very ripe, with no trace of milky sap, which is poisonous. Propagable from fresh seed, removed from the flesh. Germination occurs after 3 months. Aborigines used the oily sap as a liniment for rheumatism. They also ate the fruit, which has a sweet edible flesh (unusual for this family which contains many poisonous plants, such as the oleander). Carissa ovata with detached leaf showing undersurface and milky sap.
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