About Rhodamnia sessiliflora Benth.
Rhodamnia sessiliflora Benth. is a small tree reaching up to 10 m (33 ft) in height, and its trunk may be buttressed. New shoots and young twigs are covered in very fine pale or white hairs. The leaves are simple (undivided), have no lobes or teeth along their margins, and are arranged in opposite pairs on twigs. Leaves are borne on petioles up to 8 mm (0.31 in) long, shaped ovate to elliptic, and measure up to 13 cm (5.1 in) long by 6 cm (2.4 in) wide. They have two intramarginal veins: a faint one located very close to the margin, and a conspicuous one around 5 mm (0.20 in) inside the margin. Flowers grow in small clusters in the leaf axils, the angle between the petiole and the twig, and have four cream or white petals about 3 mm (0.12 in) long. The fruit is a globose purple or black berry around 1 cm (0.39 in) in diameter, containing between 14 and 40 small seeds that are about 3 mm (0.12 in) long. This species is only found in coastal and subcoastal areas of northeastern Queensland, ranging from approximately Rossville south to Paluma Range National Park. It grows in mature rainforest and monsoon forest across a variety of soil types, at altitudes from near sea level up to around 1,000 m (3,300 ft). Flowering occurs between October and July, while fruits develop from December to June. The fruits of this tree are eaten by cassowaries (Casuarius casuarius), figbirds (Sphecotheres vieilloti), spotted catbirds (Ailuroedus maculosus), and Lewin's honeyeaters (Meliphaga lewinii).
