Acrotriche divaricata

Acrotriche divaricata is an erect, spreading, bushy shrub that typically grows to a height of 0.6–2 m (2 ft 0 in – 6 ft 7 in), its leaves at about 90° to the stem. The leaves are usually lance-shaped, sometimes oblong to elliptic, 6–16 mm (0.24–0.63 in) long, 1.7–4.2 mm (0.067–0.165 in) wide and sharply-pointed. The flowers are arranged in spikes with 3 to 5 green or cream-coloured flowers with bracteoles 0.5–0.9 mm (0.020–0.035 in) long at the base of the sepals. The sepals are 1.4–2.8 mm (0.055–0.110 in) long and the petals are joined at the base forming a tube 1.3–1.9 mm (0.051–0.075 in) long, the lobes 1.0–1.3 mm (0.039–0.051 in) long. Flowering mostly occurs between July and September and the fruit is a more or less spherical, fleshy, red drupe about 3 mm (0.12 in) in diameter.

This species of Acrotriche is often found in sheltered forest or in rainforest, and is mostly seen growing on the coast and ranges of New South Wales south of Newcastle. A similar species Acrotriche leucocarpa with pearly white fruit, occurs in Victoria.

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