Breynia oblongifolia.
Coffee bush is native to P. N. G and N. E. Australia.
The multi-stemmed shrubs or trees are up to 3 or 4 m high.
They have long roughly horizontal lateral branches with short leafy side branches.
Leaves, on a petiole 2 to 3 m long are alternate in 2 ranks.
Each short branch has up to 14 leaves and may look like 1 pinnate leaf.
There are small stipules at the petiole base.
The elliptic, ovate to oblong blades are up to 3 (4) cm long by 1.5 to 2 cm wide.
The tip is rounded, the upper surface green and the lower is a pale green.
Inflorescences are a solitary axillary flower or a small cluster.
Flowers are unisexual with male and female on each plant.
Around 2 to 3 mm across they are on a pedicel a few mms long.
There are 6 greenish sepals, with fused bases, in 2 whorls.
Male flowers have 3 stamens and no female parts.
Females have a superior ovary of 3 fused carpels and 3 locules.
Each locule has 2 ovules.
There are 3 styles and no male parts.
The fruit are roughly spherical berries 6 to 7 mm across.
They mature from green to orange then pink and red and finally black.
Each had up to 6 seeds.
J.F.
