Investigator-tree

The tree grows to 40 m (130 ft) tall and 90 cm (35 in) trunk width, though usually much smaller. The trunk is mostly cylindrical and somewhat buttressed at the base. The bark is thin, greyish brown and smooth, with pustular vertical lines.

Leaves. Leaves are elliptical in shape with a prominent leaf tip. Leaves are alternate and simple, smooth, not toothed, 6–10 cm (2.4–3.9 in) long with a pointed tip. The leaf stalk is somewhat channelled and flattened on the top, and 6–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) in length. Both sides of the leaf are of a dull green shade. With a hand lens, translucent glands may be seen in the leaves. The base of the leaf is often oblique, that is of unequal length on either side of the leaf stem. Leaf venation is more evident on the underside of the leaf. An identifying feature is the intramarginal leaf vein, which starts at the leaf base and travels on either edge of the leaf, a distance of quarter to half the length of the leaf.

Flowers and fruit. Green flowers in axilliary cymes or panicles appear from December to January. The fruit is a blue to black, round to oval shaped drupe, 8–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long. containing a single seed which has veiny ridges. Fruit matures from July to March.

Germination and seedlings. Germination takes between 48 and 100 days. …

C. paniculatta has a wide natural distribution in tropical Asia and the Pacific, including Borneo, the Moluccas, the Lesser Sunda Islands, the Caroline Islands, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and the Northern Territory and Queensland. In Australia it occurs from Kiama (34° S) in New South Wales to Cape York Peninsula, as well as on Norfolk Island. It will grow in a variety of forest types, including sandy beach forests, rainforests, monsoon forests and sclerophyll forests, and on a variety of soil types, including soils derived from basalt, granite and limestone. It is often seen in coastal areas, but in northern parts of Queensland it can be found up to an altitude of 800 m (2,600 ft).

Celtis paniculata is a food tree for the blue beak, common aeroplane, tailed emperor and other butterflies. Many rainforest pigeons and other birds feed on the fruit. An endangered population of the beetle Menippus darcyi feeds on Celtis paniculata. The tree produces a useful general purpose timber, with a specific gravity of 0.70.