Triphasia trifolia (Burm.F.) P.Wilson

Sprawling shrub c. 1–2 m high (can grow taller as a shrub or rarely small tree); branchlets minutely pubescent, soon glabrescent; spines paired in leaf axils, 4–10 mm long. Leaves trifoliate, distichous, lustrous, dark green; leaflets: lamina rhomboidal to ovate, 1–4 cm long, c. 1.5–2 cm wide (lamina of central leaflet largest), crenulate, obtuse or emarginate, discolorous, glabrous; petiole 3–4 mm long; petiolules 1–3 mm long. Flowers 1–4, fragrant. Pedicels 2–3 mm long, glabrous. Calyx 3-lobed, c. 1.5 mm long. Petals 3, 7–10 mm long, white. Stamens 6, shorter than petals; filaments white. Ovary fusiform, 3-locular; ovule 1 per locule; style slender; stigma capitate, 3-lobed. Berry globose to ellipsoidal, 1–1.5 cm long, glabrous, red (or purplish red); style base persistent. Seeds 1–3 in a mucilaginous pulp.

On Christmas Island it occurs on a scree slope behind Flying Fish Cove, where the instability of the soil does not allow tall trees to establish themselves securely and gaps are constantly created in the canopy. On Cocos (Keeling) Island, recorded as naturalised only for North Keeling Island in Pisonia grandis forest in coralline sand.

The fragrant, white flowers, red berries and attractive foliage, combined with the sharp spines, make this a useful hedging shrub. It is also cultivated as an ornamental and for its fruit. The fruit can be eaten raw (though they are astringent or bitter) or cooked. A marmalade, preserve, pickle or beverage may be made from the fruit. Limeberry also has traditional medical and other uses; see Fern (2014 onwards) and references therein.

Plants are grown from seed. It can be grown as a hedge.