Phaleria octandra

Phaleria octandra, commonly known as dwarf Phaleria, is a species of plants in the family Thymelaeaceae, native to Malesia, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and the Northern Territory and Queensland in Australia.

Description

This is a shrub growing to about tall. It has elliptic leaves measuring up to long and wide, which are arranged in opposite pairs on the twigs. White scented flowers appear from November to February, followed in March and April by, shiny red fruit about long.

The species was first described in 1767 by Carl Linnaeus, who gave it the name Dais octandra. French botanist Henri Ernest Baillon transferred it to its current position in the genus Phaleria in 1873.

Dwarf Phaleria is considered to be an attractive plant for cultivation, due to the dense clusters of showy flowers. It needs shade, aerated soil and plenty of moisture.