Owenia acidula

Owenia acidula
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Embryophytes
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Meliaceae
Genus: Owenia
Species:
O. acidula
Binomial name
Owenia acidula
Occurrence data from AVH

Owenia acidula, commonly known as emu apple, is a small to medium-sized Australian native tree that can be found in South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales and to a lesser extent, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.[1][2][3] This species favours sandy soil,[4] and is typically found on plains or in dry sclerophyll forest.[4][5][6]

Taxonomy

A total of 11 genera and 33 species of the family Meliaceae can be found in Australia, with genera Owenia and Synoum being endemic to Australia.[7] In Queensland, Owenia venosa has been recorded alongside Owenia acidula[8].The colour and number of leaflets per leaf is used to distinguish these two species apart, with O. venosa presenting three or four pairs of dark green leaflets per leaf, and O. acidula possessing seven or more pairs of light green leaflets per leaf.[8] O. venosa tends to sucker and appears to be restricted to the south-east of Queensland, while O. acidula does sucker and has a wide distribution across Queensland.[8]

Etymology and naming

Owenia acidula derives its' name from Sir Richard Owen (Owenia) and the latin name, acidula meaning a little sour.[2] Sir Richard Owen was a 19th century scientist who contributed significantly to the field of palaeontology and wrote multiple papers on Australian mammal fossils [2][9]

Description

Owenia acidula can grow from three up to ten metres tall.[1][5][10] The branches typically hang downwards and away from the trunk.[5] When the twigs are broken, they ooze a sticky, milky sap.[3]

The hairless pinnate leaves are a vibrant green, two to five centimetres in length, with a shiny coating.[2][3][5]

The buds of O. acidula are viscous.[5] The cream coloured flowers have a loosely arranged structure, with four millimetre long petals and three millimetre long stamen.[2][5]

Owenia acidula fruits prolifically.[1] The fruit ripens after it falls off the tree, and is slightly sour in taste.[2] The fruits are a purplish red in colour, with faded speckles, and is spherical in shape.[2][5] The seeds of the fruit have a diameter of two to four centimetres,[2][3] and contain chemical compounds which have also have been found in the timber of Aglaia ferruginea, including a simple limonoid and a derivative of the cyclopropane protolimonoid glabretal.[7]

Reproduction

Owenia acidula is dioecious.[2] A plant is classified as dioecious when the male and female reproductive units develop on completely different organisms.[11] Therefore, a male and female O. acidula specimen is required for reproduction to occur.

Conservation status

As there is not enough data for O. acidula to be classified as endangered, therefore, it is currently classified as poorly known species, least concern (LC).[3][6] More surveys need to be undertaken before this species can be reclassified.

Uses

The fruit of O. acidula can be eaten, and the pulp is an Aboriginal bushfood which is believed to cause hallucinations.[5][3][12]

The leaves and branches are sometimes used as stock fodder.[5] In goats, O. acidula has a high level of digestibility of 53.29%, making it a favourable forage resource for goat producers.[13]

The seed of Owenia acidula is commonly requested for coal mine rehabilitation.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Owenia acidula "Emu Apple" - Plant Profiles - Queensland Native Seeds". qldnativeseeds.com.au. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Seeds of South Australia - Species Information". spapps.environment.sa.gov.au. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Australia, Atlas of Living. "Species: Owenia acidula (Sour Apple)". bie.ala.org.au. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  4. 1 2 "Owenia acidula"Emu Apple"". Paten Park Native Nursery. 31 May 2018. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "PlantNET - FloraOnline". plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  6. 1 2 Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) (Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), Descanso House, 199 Kew Road, Richmond TW9 3BW, England) (12 June 2018). "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Owenia acidula". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Archived from the original on 9 September 2025.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. 1 2 Mulholland, D.A, & Taylor, D.A.H. (December 1992). "Limonoids from Australian members of the meliaceae". Phytochemistry. 31 (12): 4163–4166 – via ScienceDirect.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. 1 2 3 Forster, P.I. (1990). "OWENIA✕RELIQUA (MELIACEAE), A NEW HYBRID FROM QUEENSLAND". Austrobaileya. 3 (2): 301–307 – via JSTOR.
  9. ↑ Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology. "Owen, Richard - Person - Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation". www.eoas.info. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  10. ↑ "Owenia acidula F.Muell". PlantNet: NSW Flora Online. Archived from the original on 19 March 2011. Retrieved 11 June 2010.
  11. ↑ Draper, J. T.; Delean, S.; Conran, J. G.; Weinstein, P.; Simpson, B. S. (27 April 2023). "Life-history characteristics and climate correlates of dioecious plant species in central southern Australia". Australian Journal of Botany. 71 (4): 175–187. doi:10.1071/BT22110. hdl:2440/138269. ISSN 0067-1924. Archived from the original on 11 May 2026.
  12. ↑ Low, T. (1988). Wild Food Plants of Australia. ISBN 0-207-16930-6.
  13. ↑ Chaves, A. V., & Meale, S. J., Moradi, M., Ni, M., Beasley, A. M., Hoffman, L. C. (2026). "In vitro dietary analysis of tropical browses and pasture consumed by goats". Scientific Reports. 16 – via Scientific Reports.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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