Aristotelia fruticosa

Detailed description

Dioecious, variable, much branched erect or low growing shrub, sometimes spiny, to 2 m tall; trunk and branches sub-divaricate to upright, rigid, sometimes entangled; bark reddish brown; branchlets reddish brown, pubescent. Leaves opposite or in opposite fascicles on arrested branchlets; petioles c. 2 mm long, widening into lamina; midvein inconspicuous above, midvein and secondary veins obvious below; lamina either 5–7 × 4–5 mm, obovate to oblong, coriaceous, dark green, or c. 15 × 9 mm, ovate to lanceolate, thinner, lighter green, margins distinctly serrate, tip acute to obtuse, base cuneate, undersides pale green. Juvenile leaves larger, thinner, irregularly lobed and serrate. Inflorescences inconspicuous, lateral along branchlets. Flowers c. 2–3 mm diam., solitary, in opposite pairs or in 3–6 flowered cymes, on short pubescent pedicels 1–2 mm long. Sepals 4, oblong, pubescent. Petals 4, slightly > sepals, with 1–4 crenate teeth, white to light pink to red. Stamens 4–6, not projecting beyond corolla, anthers > filaments. Ovary 2-celled(?), styles 2(?). Fruit a c. 2(?)-seeded fleshy berry, 3–4 mm diam., pale, white, pink, bright red to black, bitter to taste. Seed irregularly angled, ventral surface flattened, elliptic, 2.0–2.6 mm, surface irrregular, attachment scar obvious, small orange aril sometimes present.