Iron Malletwood

Rhodamnia sessiliflora is a small tree up to 10 m (33 ft) tall, and the trunk may be buttressed. The new shoots and young twigs are clothed in very fine pale or white hairs, and leaves are simple (undivided) and without lobes or teeth on the margins. They are arranged in opposite pairs on the twigs, on petioles up to 8 mm (0.31 in) long. Leaves are ovate to elliptic and measure up to 13 cm (5.1 in) long by 6 cm (2.4 in) wide. They have two intramarginal veins, a feint one very close to the margin and a conspicuous one about 5 mm (0.20 in) inside the margin. Flowers are produced in small clusters in the leaf axils—i.e. in the angle between the petiole and the twig. They have four cream or white petals about 3 mm (0.12 in) long. The fruit is a globose, purple or black berry about 1 cm (0.39 in) diameter, containing anywhere from 14 to 40 small seeds about 3 mm (0.12 in) long.

Phenology. Flowering occurs from October to July and fruit appear from December to June.

Rhodamnia sessiliflora is restricted to coastal and subcoastal parts of northeastern Queensland, extending from about Rossville south to the Paluma Range National Park. It grows in well developed rainforest and monsoon forest on various soils, at altitudes from near sea level to about 1,000 m (3,300 ft).

Fruit of this tree are eaten by cassowaries (Casuarius casuarius), figbirds (Sphecotheres vieilloti), spotted catbirds (Ailuroedus maculosus) and Lewin's honeyeaters (Meliphaga lewinii).