Tasmannia lanceolata

Tasmannia lanceolata is a bushy shrub or small tree that typically grows to a height of {{cvt|1.5–4|m}} and has smooth, reddish branchlets. Its leaves are lance-shaped to narrowly elliptic, {{cvt|20–120|mm}} long and {{cvt|6–35|mm}} wide on a petiole {{cvt|2–6|mm}} long. Male and female flowers are borne on separate plants, each flower with 3 to 9 linear or narrowly egg-shaped petals {{cvt|4–10|mm}} long and {{cvt|1.5–3.5|mm}} wide. Male flowers are borne on a pedicel {{cvt|8–25|mm}} long and have 15 to 28 stamens, female flowers are on a pedicel {{cvt|4–12|mm}} long with 1 or 2 carpels with 9 to 18 ovules. Flowering occurs from September to November and the fruit is a spherical, deep maroon to glossy black berry {{cvt|5–10|mm}} long with 4 to 18 strongly curved seeds {{cvt|2.5–3.5|mm}} long.{{cite book |last1=Floyd |first1=Alex G. |title=Rainforest Trees of Mainland South-eastern Australia |date=1989 |publisher=Inkata Press |isbn=0-909605-57-2 |page=410}}{{cite web |last1=Raleigh |first1=Ruth E. |last2=Entwisle |first2=Timothy J. |title=Tasmannia lanceolata |url=https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/flora/taxon/5505a156-251b-4f32-8711-f4e08c2ab9c2 |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria |access-date=9 May 2024}}{{cite web |last1=Harden |first1=Gwen J. |title=Tasmannia lanceolata |url=https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Tasmannia~lanceolata |publisher=Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney |access-date=9 May 2024}}

This species was first formally described in 1808 by Jean Louis Marie Poiret, who gave it the name Winterana lanceolata in Encyclopédie Méthodique, Botanique, from specimens collected by Jacques Labillardière from the coast of Australia.{{cite web |url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/rest/instance/apni/509439 |title=Winterana lanceolata |website=Australian Plant Name Index (APNI) |publisher=Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government |access-date=5 May 2024}} In 1969, Albert Charles Smith transferred the species to Tasmannia as T. lanceolata in the journal Taxon.{{cite web |url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/rest/instance/apni/497498 |title=Tasmannia lanceolata |website=Australian Plant Name Index (APNI) |publisher=Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government |access-date=5 May 2024}}

Tasmannia lanceolata grows in forest and temperate rainforest south from the Blue Mountains in New South Wales, altitudes of {{cvt|300 to 1400|m}} in the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, and Tasmania.{{cite book |last1=Fairley |first1=Alan |last2=Moore |first2=Philip |title=Native Plants of the Sydney Region |date=1989 |publisher=Allen and Unwin |location=Crows Nest |page=49}}

Polygodial has been identified as the primary active compound in Tasmannia lanceolata, and is also responsible for its peppery taste. The fruits also contain benzoic acids, flavanols, and flavanones, as well as eugenol, methyl eugenol, and gallic acid, and also the glycosides quercetin, rutin{{cn|date=May 2024}}, and possibly vitamin D.{{Cite journal |last1=Black |first1=Lucinda |last2=Lucas |first2=Robyn |last3=Sherriff |first3=Jill |last4=Björn |first4=Lars |last5=Bornman |first5=Janet |date=2017-02-13 |title=In Pursuit of Vitamin D in Plants |journal=Nutrients |language=en |volume=9 |issue=2 |pages=136 |doi=10.3390/nu9020136 |doi-access=free |issn=2072-6643 |pmc=5331567 |pmid=28208834}}

The leaf and berry have long been used as a spice, typically dried. The 1889 book The Useful Native Plants of Australia records that common names included "Pepper Tree" and that "the drupe is used as a condiment, being a fair substitute for pepper, or rather allspice [...] The leaves and bark also have a hot, biting, cinnamon-like taste."{{cite book |first=J.H. |last=Maiden |url=https://primo-slnsw.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=SLNSW_ALMA21105097830002626&context=L&vid=SLNSW&search_scope=EEA&tab=default_tab&lang=en_US |title=The useful native plants of Australia : Including Tasmania |publisher=Turner & Henderson |location=Sydney |year=1889 |oclc=670084041}}

More recently, it has become popularised as a bushfood condiment. It can be added to curries, cheeses, and alcoholic beverages. It is exported to Japan to flavour wasabi. The berries are sweet and fruity at first with a lingering peppery aftertaste. Dried T. lanceolata berries and leaves have strong antimicrobial activity against food spoilage organisms. It also has high antioxidant activity.{{cite book |author1=Zhao, J.|author2=Agboola, S.|title=Functional Properties of Australian Bushfoods — A Report for the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation|date=2007 |id=RIRDC 07/030 |isbn=978-1-74151-429-2 |oclc=225048318 |url=https://rirdc.infoservices.com.au/downloads/07-030.pdf|access-date=2009-08-13|archive-date=2009-09-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090921233417/https://rirdc.infoservices.com.au/downloads/07-030.pdf|url-status=dead}} Low safrole clonal selections are grown in plantations for commercial use, as safrole is considered a low-risk toxin.{{cite book |last1=Menary |first1=R.C. |last2=Drager |first2=V.A. |last3=Garland |first3=S.A. |title=Tasmannia lanceolata — Developing a New Commercial Flavour Product |publisher=Rural Industries and Development Corporation, Australian Government |date=1999 |isbn=0-642-58007-3 |id=RIRDC 99/124 |pages= |oclc=44895022}}

Used in colonial medicine as a substitute for Winter's bark, a stomachic, it was also used for treating scurvy.{{cite book |first=A.J. |last=Ewart |title=Flora of Victoria |publisher=Melbourne University Press |location=Melbourne |date=1930 |oclc=222480176}} Tasmanian pepper is one of a number of native Australian herbs and food species being supported by the Australian Native Food Industry Ltd, which brings together producers of food species from all parts of Australia.{{cite web|url=http://www.anfil.org.au/|title=Australian Native Food and Botanicalsu|website=Anfil.org.au|access-date=11 October 2018|archive-date=31 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190731064224/http://www.anfil.org.au/|url-status=dead}} The pepperberry can be used as a fish poison.

It can be grown as an ornamental garden plant. Its berries attract birds,{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s786406.htm|title=Fact Sheet: PLANT DIARY: Tasmannia lanceolata|date=April 5, 2002|work=Gardening Australia Website|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=2009-08-12}} including currawongs, that feed on them. It can be propagated from cuttings or seed, and can grow in a well-drained acidic soil with some shade, but is sensitive to Phytophthora cinnamomi.

Garden cultivars include 'Mt. Wellington', a compact plant with coppery new growth,{{Cite web|url=http://www.callygardens.co.uk/cat08-09/shrubs.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090702142947/http://www.callygardens.co.uk/cat08-09/shrubs.html|url-status=dead|title=Cally Gardens plant list|archive-date=2 July 2009|access-date=25 January 2022}} and 'Suzette', a variegated cultivar.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bluebellnursery.com/cgi-bin/catalogue.cgi?cat=t&genus=Drimys&initial=D|title=Plant profile, Bluebell Arboretum and Nursery|website=Bluebellnursey.com|access-date=25 January 2022|archive-date=6 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306092807/http://www.bluebellnursery.com/cgi-bin/catalogue.cgi?cat=t&genus=drimys&initial=d|url-status=dead}}

• List of Australian herbs and spices

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book |first=T.K. |last=Lim |chapter=Tasmannia lanceolata |chapter-url=https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-94-007-5628-1_53 |title=Fruits |volume=6 |series=Edible Medicinal And Non-Medicinal Plants |publisher=Springer |date=2013 |isbn=978-94-007-5628-1 |pages=493–9 |doi=10.1007/978-94-007-5628-1_53}}
• {{cite web |title=Tasmannia lanceolata (Poir.) A.C.Sm. — Mountain Pepperbush |publisher=Atlas of Living Australia |url=https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://id.biodiversity.org.au/node/apni/2915650}}

{{Commons category}}

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lanceolata

Category:Flora of New South Wales

Category:Flora of Tasmania

Category:Flora of Victoria (state)

Category:Flora of the Australian Capital Territory

Category:Plants described in 1808

Category:Taxa named by Jean Louis Marie Poiret