Syzygium ingens

{{Short description|Species of tree}} {{speciesbox |name = Red apple|image = Acmena ingens Hayters Hill.jpg |image_caption = ''Syzygium ingens'' fruit on the rainforest floor, Hayters Hill near Byron Bay |genus = Syzygium |species = ingens |authority = (F.Muell. ex C.Moore) Craven & Biffin<ref name=APC>{{cite web|title=''Syzygium ingens''|url= https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/202990|publisher=Australian Plant Census|access-date=21 April 2021}}</ref> |synonyms = {{collapsible list | * ''Acmena australis'' L.A.S.Johnson nom. illeg., nom. superfl. * ''Acmena brachyandra'' (Maiden & Betche) Merr. & L.M.Perry * ''Acmena ingens'' (F.Muell. ex C.Moore) Guymer & B.Hyland * ''Eugenia brachyandra'' Maiden & Betche * ''Memecylon australe'' C.Moore nom. illeg. * ''Memecylon cerasiforme'' A.Nilson nom. illeg. * ''Memecylon cerasiformis'' A.Nilson orth. var. * ''Nelitris ingens'' F.Muell. ex C.Moore }} }} [[Image:Acmena ingens juvenile.jpg|thumb|Juvenile leaves at Mount Glorious, Queensland]]

'''''Syzygium ingens''''', commonly known as '''red apple''',<ref name="RBGS">{{cite web |last1=Wilson |first1=Peter G. |title=''Acmena ingens'' |url=https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Acmena~ingens |publisher=Royal Botanic Garden Sydney |access-date=22 April 2021}}</ref> is a species of flowering plant that is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a medium-sized to tall rainforest tree with narrow elliptic to oblong leaves and panicles of white flowers on the ends of branchlets, followed by spherical red berries.

== Description == ''Syzygium ingens'' is a tree that typically grows to a height of up to {{cvt|40|m}} with a dbh of up to {{cvt|90|cm}}. It has a smooth, straight, greyish or fawn-coloured trunk that is buttressed at the base of older specimens. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs, narrow elliptic to oblong, {{cvt|60–180|mm}} long and {{cvt|20–50|mm}} wide on a reddish petiole {{cvt|2–8|mm}} long. The upper surface of the leaves is glossy green and the lower surface is paler with a raised mid-rib. The flowers are borne in panicles on the ends of branchlets, the panicles shorter than the leaves. The five sepals are fused at the base forming a bell-shaped floral cup about {{cvt|3|mm}} in diameter with rounded lobes. The five petals are white, more or less oblong and {{cvt|1–2|mm}} long with irregular edges. Flowering occurs from November to December and the fruit is a dark pink to red, spherical to oval berry, {{cvt|25–30|mm}} long, {{cvt|15–40|mm}} in diameter containing a single seed surrounded by white flesh.<ref name="RBGS" /><ref name="Floyd">{{cite book |last1=Floyd |first1=Alexander G. |title=Rainforest Trees of Mainland South-eastern Australia |date=1989 |publisher=Inkata Press |isbn=9780958943673 |page=240}}</ref>

==Taxonomy== Red apple was first formally described in 1861 by Charles Moore in ''Catalogue of the Natural and Industrial Products of New South Wales, exhibited in the School of Arts by the International Exhibition Commissioners'' and was given the name ''Nelitris ingens'' from an unpublished description by Ferdinand von Mueller.<ref name=APNI1>{{cite web|title=''Nelitris ingens''|url= http://id.biodiversity.org.au/instance/apni/492853 |publisher=APNI|access-date=22 April 2021}}</ref> In 1988, Gordon P. Guymer and Bernard Hyland changed the name to ''Acmena ingens'' in the journal ''Muelleria'',<ref name=APNI2>{{cite web|title=''Acmena ingens''|url= http://id.biodiversity.org.au/instance/apni/485723 |publisher=APNI|access-date=22 April 2021}}</ref><ref name="Guymer">{{cite journal |last1=Guymer |first1=Gordon P. |last2=Hyland |first2=Bernard P.M. |title=A name change in the genus ''Acmena'' DC. (Myrtaceae) |journal=Muelleria |date=1988 |volume=6 |issue=6 |pages=437–438 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/49825859#page/53/mode/1up |access-date=22 April 2021}}</ref> a name that is accepted by the National Herbarium of New South Wales.<ref name="RBGS" />

In 2006, Lyndley Craven and Edward Sturt Biffin changed Moore's name ''Nelitris ingens'' to ''Syzygium ingens'' in the journal ''Blumea'',<ref name=APNI>{{cite web|title=''Syzygium ingens''|url= http://id.biodiversity.org.au/instance/apni/611346 |publisher=APNI|access-date=22 April 2021}}</ref><ref name="Blumea">{{cite journal |last1=Craven |first1=Lyndley A. |last2=Biffin |first2=Edward S.A. |last3=Ashton |first3=Peter S. |title=''Acmena'', ''Acmenosperma'', ''Cleistocalyx'', ''Piliocalyx'' and ''Waterhousea'' formally transferred to ''Syzygium'' (Myrtaceae) |journal=Blumea |date=2006 |volume=51 |issue=1 |page=137 |url=https://archive.org/details/blumea-0006-5196-51-131-142/page/n5/mode/2up |access-date=21 April 2021}}</ref> the name accepted by the Australian Plant Census<ref name="APC" />

==Distribution and habitat== Red apple grows on volcanic soil from near Gympie in south eastern Queensland to Casino in northern New South Wales.<ref name="RBGS" /><ref name="Floyd" />

==Ecology== Birds seen eating the fruit of this species include wompoo fruit dove, green catbird, eastern rosella, pied currawong and topknot pigeon.<ref name="Floyd" />

==Use in horticulture== Germination is assisted by removing the seed from the flesh, and soaking for a day or two to kill any insect larvae. Germination is swift and reliable. Cuttings also strike well.<ref name="Floyd" />

==References== {{Reflist}}

Category:Myrtales of Australia Category:Trees of Australia Category:Flora of New South Wales Category:Flora of Queensland ingens Category:Taxa named by Bernard Hyland