About Litsea australis B.Hyland
Litsea australis B.Hyland is a small to medium sized tree that can reach up to 20 metres in height. Larger individuals sometimes have buttressing at the base of the trunk. The bark is rough, irregular, and coloured reddish brown. Young growing shoots have a covering of hair. Leaves are elliptical in shape and arranged alternately along stems. Most leaves are 8 to 13 cm long with a blunt tip, though leaves can rarely grow up to 20 cm long. The underside of the leaf is green, with brown hairs. Leaf stalks measure 8 to 15 mm in length. Leaf venation is prominent on both the upper and lower sides of the leaf. Tiny green or cream flowers develop between January and June. Male and female flowers are borne on separate individual trees. The fruit produced is a black drupe, which is eaten by a variety of rainforest birds. This plant acts as a food source for both butterfly larvae and birds. Recorded species that feed on it include the wompoo fruit dove, rose-crowned fruit dove, purple moonbeam butterfly, and blue triangle butterfly.
