Sickleleaf Fruit Tree

This big fruit tree grows up to 42 feet (12.8 meters) tall and lives for up to 40 years, with the oldest known specimen being around 57 years old. It is not very resistant to disease and destructive insect infestation.

It has a narrow, straight trunk covered in knobbly, gray bark, and inside, the hard wood is pale brown-grey.

The numerous branches are short, rigid and upright and are covered with large amounts of large, sickle shaped leaves with jagged edges. The leaves themselves are solid gold or gentle green, with olive lines.

In early spring, it produces copious amounts of medium-sized, black blossoms with pleated petals with a tube-like floral cup. They are hardy and have a fairly strong scent that smells like meat.

In late summer it produces tiny, needle-like fruit. The fuzzy green skin is tough and edible when roasted; it is sweet, and the crunchy lilac flesh is sour and very dry. The blood red seeds are small and are located in the centre of the fruit.

The roots are shallow and widely spread, and overall the tree is rigid and weak, and breaks apart easily.

Forests of this species feature the trees packed together densely, with the space between filled with undergrowth.