Margaritaria nobilis L.F.

Tree 5-10 m high; dioecious; branches subterete or angled, glabrous, usually with conspicuous lenticels. Leaves chartaceous; petioles ca 2-5 mm long; stipules elliptic to oblong, acuminate, 1.5-3 mm long; blades elliptic or oblong to ovate-lanceolate, ca 6-15 cm long, 2.5-5 cm broad, smooth above, glabrous or glaucous beneath and sometimes hairy along the veins, major veins mostly 7-12 on a side, raised beneath, the veinlets scarcely raised beneath but often conspicuous, cuneate to rounded at the base, + acuminate at the tip. Inflorescences of 2-several flowers per cluster or the 9 sometimes solitary. Staminate flowers with pedicels ca 2.5-5 mm long; calyx-lobes 4, somewhat unequal (outer pair usually narrowly membranous), ca 0.9-1.7 mm long; anthers ca 0.4 mm long. Pistillate flowers with pedicels rather stout, becoming 5-14 mm long in fruit; calyx-lobes 4, similar to; the staminate; disc 0.8-1.5 mm broad; ovary usually of 4 or 5 (rarely 3) carpels, the styles ca 1.5 mm long. Capsules mostly 8-11 mm in diam; seeds ca 3.5-4 mm long.

Found in a range of forest types, growing mainly on alluvial plains and slopes. Seasonal rain or riparian forests, usually in areas of successional vegetation; mostly at lower elevations, but ascending to 1,000 metres.

The immature green fruit are eaten.

Can be grown by seedlings.