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Useful Temperate Plants

Exocarpos aphyllus

R.Br.

Santalaceae


The generic name Exocarpos was more commonly spelled Exocarpus in the past.

+ Synonyms

Exocarpos leptomerioides F.Muell. ex Miq.

Xylophyllos aphyllus (R.Br.) Kuntze

Common Name: Leafless Ballart

No Image.

General Information

Exocarpos aphyllus is a much-branched, shrub or a small tree growing up to 5 metres tall. The leaves are small and scale-like, soon falling from the plant, with most photosynthesis being carried out by the young stems[
286
Title
Flora of Australia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.anbg.gov.au/abrs/abif/flora/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
The full information from the Flora of Australia - on-line. An excellent resource.
,
365
Title
Flora of New South Wales
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/floraonline.htm
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An on-line resource giving a brief botanical description of all the native plants of New South Wales, their habitat and range, together with diagrams and photographs of the plants.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

154
Title
Flora of Victoria.
Publication
 
Author
Ewart. A. J.
Publisher
University Press; Melbourne
Year
1930
ISBN
 
Description
A flora of eastern Australia, it is rather short on information that is useful to the plant project.

Range

Australia - southern and western Western Australia, southern South Australia, northern Victoria, New South Wales, southeast Queensland.

Habitat

Found in various habitats including coastal dunes, eucalypt woodland and shrubland; growing in rocky loam, clay-loam and calcareous soils[
286
Title
Flora of Australia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.anbg.gov.au/abrs/abif/flora/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
The full information from the Flora of Australia - on-line. An excellent resource.
]. Sandy soils in inland areas in all mainland states[
154
Title
Flora of Victoria.
Publication
 
Author
Ewart. A. J.
Publisher
University Press; Melbourne
Year
1930
ISBN
 
Description
A flora of eastern Australia, it is rather short on information that is useful to the plant project.
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Shrub
Height3.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details



A major difficulty if trying to cultivate this species is that, although it photosynthesizes much of its own nutrients, it is also semi-parasitic on the roots of other plants, notably Eucalyptus species. Seeds germinate fairly easily, and cuttings will usually root successfully, but the seedlings and cuttings usually die unless they have root access to a host plant. Exocarpos species generally cause very little harm to the host plant.
The plant can flower through most of the year, except for the middle of summer and the middle of winter. Fruits can also be available for much of the year.

Edible Uses

Fruit stalk - raw. Sweet and palatable when fully ripe, it is rather astringent beforehand[
144
Title
Wild Food in Australia.
Publication
 
Author
Cribb. A. B. and J. W.
Publisher
Fontana
Year
1976
ISBN
0-00-634436-4
Description
A very good pocket guide.
,
193
Title
Wild Food Plants of Australia.
Publication
 
Author
Low. T.
Publisher
Angus and Robertson.
Year
1989
ISBN
0-207-14383-8
Description
Well presented, clear information and good photographs. An interesting read for the casual reader as well as the enthusiast
]. The red, depressed-obovoid fruiting receptacle is 1 - 2mm long[
286
Title
Flora of Australia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.anbg.gov.au/abrs/abif/flora/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
The full information from the Flora of Australia - on-line. An excellent resource.
].
The edible, fleshy, fruit-like structure is actually an enlarged, succulent section of the flower stalk (receptacle), beyond which the seed and true fruit protrude[
397
Title
Australian Native Plants Society
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://anpsa.org.au/index.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A series of fact sheets on Australian plants. Good photographs, brief description and information on uses, habitat, range, cultivation etc.
,
1461
Title
Flora of Tasmania Online
Publication
 
Author
Duretto MF (Ed.)
Website
http://www.tmag.tas.gov.au/floratasmania
Publisher
Tasmanian Herbarium, Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery: Hobart
Year
2009
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent flora, in the process of being published (58 family treatments as of 2017). It can be accesed online and can also be downloaded as PDFs.
].

Medicinal

A decoction of the mashed stems is taken internally in the treatment of colds and sores[
152
Title
Australian Medicinal Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Lassak. E. V. and McCarthy. T.
Publisher
New Holland Publishers
Year
2001
ISBN
1876334703
Description
A very good and readable guide to the subject.
,
1462
Title
An Ethnopharmacological Study of Medicinal Plants of the Kamilaroi and Muruwari Aboriginal Communities in Northern N
Publication
A Thesis submitted at Macquarie University
Author
Qian Liu
Publisher
 
Year
2006
ISBN
 
Description
In particular it looks at Ethnopharacological information on the genera Eremurus and Exocarpus. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
A poultice made from the mashed stems has been applied to the chest in the treatment of 'wasting disease' (tuberculosis)[
1462
Title
An Ethnopharmacological Study of Medicinal Plants of the Kamilaroi and Muruwari Aboriginal Communities in Northern N
Publication
A Thesis submitted at Macquarie University
Author
Qian Liu
Publisher
 
Year
2006
ISBN
 
Description
In particular it looks at Ethnopharacological information on the genera Eremurus and Exocarpus. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Extracts of the bark and stem of this plant were found to possess antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.The active compounds are believed to be phenolic compounds[
1462
Title
An Ethnopharmacological Study of Medicinal Plants of the Kamilaroi and Muruwari Aboriginal Communities in Northern N
Publication
A Thesis submitted at Macquarie University
Author
Qian Liu
Publisher
 
Year
2006
ISBN
 
Description
In particular it looks at Ethnopharacological information on the genera Eremurus and Exocarpus. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Extracts of the bark and stems possess antiinflammatory activity. The active compounds were the triterpenes betulin, betulinic acid and oleanolic acid[
1462
Title
An Ethnopharmacological Study of Medicinal Plants of the Kamilaroi and Muruwari Aboriginal Communities in Northern N
Publication
A Thesis submitted at Macquarie University
Author
Qian Liu
Publisher
 
Year
2006
ISBN
 
Description
In particular it looks at Ethnopharacological information on the genera Eremurus and Exocarpus. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Propagation and establishment of species in this genus is difficult due to the semi-parasitic nature of the plant. Some success has being achieved in propagation from both seed and cuttings, but the plants generally do not survive once planted out[
397
Title
Australian Native Plants Society
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://anpsa.org.au/index.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A series of fact sheets on Australian plants. Good photographs, brief description and information on uses, habitat, range, cultivation etc.
].
Sowing the seed in situ near where potential host plants are growing, and protecting the seed with an upturned glass or plastic container would be worth a try. Alternatively, try sowing the seed in a pot where a small potential host is growing - the main disadvantage to this is that the two plants will be in very close proximity and the Exocarpos could be outcompeted.
Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Exocarpos+aphyllus>

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