Diploglottis campbellii is a rainforest

Rainforest

Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...

 tree northern New South Wales

New South Wales

New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...

 and southeastern Queensland

Queensland

Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...

. Growing to 30 metres tall, it is commonly known as the Small-leaved Tamarind. It is rare and threatened and is restricted to a small number of sites, each with a maximum of 3 trees per site. However, it is readily available from nurseries in the Northern Rivers area of New South Wales, and in south-eastern Queensland.

It has soft hairy new growth that becomes hairless with age. It has a grey brown trunk, the outer surface of live bark is green with orange to brown blotches, leaves 10-35 cm long, leaflets 4-8 cm, glossy upper surface, pale dull bottom surface

The inflorescence

Inflorescence

An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...

 type is a panicle

Panicle

A panicle is a compound raceme, a loose, much-branched indeterminate inflorescence with pedicellate flowers attached along the secondary branches; in other words, a branched cluster of flowers in which the branches are racemes....

 up to 15 centimetres long with small creamy brown flowers, Fruit usually 2 lobed but can be 1 or 3 lobed (each lobe holding a single seed), hairless, Red (rarely yellow) with a brown capsule, ripe Feb- April.

Uses

The fruit of small-leaved tamarind is edible, and has a piquant flavour. It is used in sauces and preserves. Because the tree is very rare in the wild availability of fruit was a limitation for many years. However, increased planting of small-leaved tamarind has resulted in larger volumes of fruit becoming available for food, as well as ensuring the survival of this species.

The plant has proved adaptable in cultivation, being used in amenity

Amenity

In real property and lodging, amenities are any tangible or untangible benefits of a property, especially those that increase its attractiveness or value or that contribute to its comfort or convenience...

 horticulture

Horticulture

Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...

 and bushfood

Bushfood

Bushfood traditionally relates to any food native to Australia and used as sustenance by the original inhabitants, the Australian Aborigines, but it is a reference to any native fauna/flora that is used for culinary and/or medicinal purposes regardless of which continent or culture it originates...

 plantings. It is extensively planted in Lismore

Lismore, New South Wales

Lismore is a subtropical town in northeastern New South Wales, Australia. Lismore is the main population centre in the City of Lismore local government area. Lismore is a regional centre in the Northern Rivers region of the State.-History:...

.

External sources

• Information obtained at Tafe Grovely Campus
• National Parks and Wildlife Service NSW, Harden 1991; Harden et al. 1992