Description: Trees or shrubs, pubescent or glabrous.
Leaves simple or more usually 1-foliolate with a swelling at apex of petiole at junction with lamina; the margins commonly toothed, sometimes entire; venation usually prominently reticulate. Leaves often turning red before falling.
Inflorescence a raceme, often ramiflorous or borne amongst the leaves at end of branches. Flowers usually bisexual, sometimes polygamous, 4- or 5-merous. Petals usually finely divided into linear lobes. Stamens numerous, anthers often awned, dehiscing by apical slits; anthers mostly much longer than the filament.
Fruit a drupe, usually blue, sometimes black; stone often deeply sculptured and called a 'quandong'.
Distribution and occurrence: World: c. 350 species, Madagascar, India to Japan and South-East Asia, Australasia, SW Pacific, Hawaii. Australia: c. 30 species, Qld, N.S.W., Vic., Tas, N.T.
Text by D.M. Crayn, C. Gardner & L. Murray
Taxon concept:
| | Key to the species | |
| 1 | Plant growing on Lord Howe Island | Elaeocarpus costatus |
| Plant growing in NSW | 2 |
| 2 | Mature leaves hairy on lower surface, usually densely so, glabrous or hairy above; inflorescence always borne amongst the leaves | 3 |
| Mature leaves glabrous, or almost so, on both surfaces, sometimes young leaves hairy; inflorescence ramiflorous or borne amongst the leaves
Back to 1 | 4 |
| 3 | Leaves simple, margins distinctly and regularly toothed; petiole <10 mm long, apex not swollen | Elaeocarpus holopetalus |
| Leaves 1-foliolate, margins more or less entire or with a few shallow teeth; petiole >10 mm long, apex swollen at junction with lamina
Back to 2 | 9 |
| 4 | Leaves simple, petiole not swollen at junction with lamina | 5 |
| Leaves 1-foliolate, petiole swollen near junction with lamina
Back to 2 | 7 |
| 5 | Leaves finely and regularly toothed; secondary veins more than 9 pairs | 6 |
| Leaves irregularly and shallowly toothed or crenate, rarely entire; secondary veins less than 9 pairs
Back to 4 | Elaeocarpus obovatus |
| 6 | Domatia absent; petiole less than 10 mm long | Elaeocarpus holopetalus |
| Domatia regularly present along midvein, numerous; petiole 10–20 mm long
Back to 5 | Elaeocarpus grandis |
| 7 | Leaves with usually more than 9 pairs of secondary veins; lamina regularly and finely toothed from near the base; small domatia regularly present along midvein | 8 |
| Leaves with 6–9 pairs of secondary veins; lamina with irregular distant teeth, often only in the upper half, or margins sometimes more or less entire; domatia absent
Back to 4 | Elaeocarpus eumundi |
| 8 | Leaves with 9–15 pairs of secondary veins, petiole mostly less than 20 mm long | Elaeocarpus reticulatus |
| Leaves with usually more than 15 pairs of secondary veins; petiole mostly more than 20 mm long
Back to 7 | Elaeocarpus kirtonii |
| 9 | Leaves oblanceolate, not glaucous on lower surface; inflorescences >10-flowered; fruit strongly 3-grooved | Elaeocarpus williamsianus |
| Leaves elliptic to obovate, glaucous on lower surface; inflorescences <10-flowered; fruit not strongly grooved
Back to 3 | Elaeocarpus sedentarius |
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