Elaeocarpus serratus (Ceylon Olive)

In early summer Elaeocarpus serratus begins to form flower buds on long racemes. By late summer these become strings of delicate, lacy, white flowers.

The tree is harvested from the wild, and sometimes also cultivated, for its edible fruit and medicinal applications.

The seed of most species in this genus is covered by a hard, woody shell and can be very slow and erratic to germinate, sometimes taking 2 years or more.