Australian Aboriginal Bushcraft Codexery

Ehretia saligna

A variable shrub or tree with edible fruit and medicinal use.

Ehretia saligna, known as peach bush, native willow, or peachwood, is a shrub or small tree endemic to Northern Australia, ranging from the Gascoyne across the Northern Territory and through northern Queensland to coastal regions of southern Queensland and New South Wales. It produces green-white flowers in panicles, followed by yellow or red fruit containing two to four large seeds. The fruit was an important food source for Aboriginal Australians, especially in arid regions, and a decoction of the wood was used for pain relief. The species shows considerable variability, leading to its description as two former species now treated as varieties.

Quick Facts

Species
saligna
Subdivision
Ehretia saligna var. membranifolia (R.Br.) Randell; Ehretia saligna R.Br. var. saligna

Facts from the source article.

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