Guioa semiglauca (SAPINDACEAE) Native Quince, Guioa

Tree to 6 m, bark smooth, grey to dark grey, often more or less blotchy with lichens. Found in warmer rainforest from the coast to the ranges, often in regrowth. Hardy, common, widespread. An important local species, food for birds and insects. Pronounced “ghee-O-a” after J. Guio an 18th century Spanish painter of plants who illustrated botanical books, semiglauca from Latin semi meaning half and glaucus meaning covered with a fine bloom of the colour of a cabbage leaf, referring to the undersurface of the leaflets.

The leaves are discolourous, bright green on top and grey green underleaf contrasting with the rest of the foliage – a distinctive feature.

Flowers are small white yellowish green in dense bunches in leaf axils or branchlet ends from September to November.

Fruit is a three-lobed green capsule splitting to reveal brown black seed enclosed by an orange aril ripe January to February. Fleshy aril possibly edible like most sapinds, but avoid the cynaide collecting seeds. Relished by birds. Propagate from very fresh seed.

A good habitat tree as fruit is eaten by many birds. As in many Sapinds, the bark was used by Aborigines to stun fish (contains saponin).

It would be normal to see specimens of all ages along creekbanks where good quality dry rainforest habitat remains intact. Even degraded, partially cleared creekbanks should show signs of Guioa in regrowth.