Phyllanthus acidus

(Star Gooseberry, Gooseberry Tree, Malay Gooseberry)

FAMILY	Phyllanthaceae / Euphorbiaceae s.l.
Species	Phyllanthus acidus
Common name(s)	Star Gooseberry, Gooseberry Tree, Malay Gooseberry
Flower colour; life form	Red; tree
Campus	Townsville

Description

This tree to 9 m, from south-east Asia is often grown as a street tree. Leaves are lanceolate arranged alternately in one plane along short branches so appearing like compound leaves; flowers small, reddish. Fruit hang in dense clusters off the branches. This drupe is edible, depressed globular, ridged, pale yellow to 2.5 cm across. Seeds 4-5. Fruit popular in preserves.