Marool, Blackberry Tree
Terminalia petiolaris

Family: Combretaceae

What it is like

A small tree which loses its leaves during the year. It grows up to 10 m tall. The bark is dark grey and with cracks along its length. The small branches are silky. The leaves are oval and 6.5-14 cm long by 4-7 cm wide. They are green but turn red to purple before falling. They are papery and without hairs but less shiny underneath. The tip is blunt but sometimes with a small point. The base of the leaf is blunt or slightly tapering. The leaf stalk is 3.5-6 cm long and slender. The flower spikes are 11 cm long and hairy. The flowers are creamy white. They smell sweetly of nectar. The fruit is succulent and green and turns red or black when ripe. They are oval and 1-2 cm long by 0.7-0.9 cm wide. They have a short beak. The flesh of the fruit is eaten. Inside there is a large seed.

There are about 200-250 Terminalia species. They are tropical.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in coastal areas on sandstone or sandy soils in northern Western Australia. They are often just behind the coastal dunes. It grows from sea level to 100 m above sea level. The tree is resistant to cyclone damage.

Countries/locations it is found in

Australia (country/location of origin)

How it is used for food

The flesh of the fruit is eaten. The gum from the tree is edible. It is eaten raw, or cooked.

Edible parts

Fruit, gum

How it is grown

It occurs naturally in the Kimberleys in Western Australia. It grows from seed.

In Australia flowering is December to April and fruiting is March to July. The flowering and fruiting season can be longer than this.

Its other names

Local names

Marul, Masroorl

Synonyms

Myrobalanus petiolaris (Benth.) Kuntze;