Western Australia FloraFlora Index Acacia glaucoptera (Flat Wattle) Anigozanthos (Kangaroo Paws) Banksia carlinoides Conostylis argentea Daviesia pachyphylla (Ouch Bush) Exocarpos sparteus Gompholobium cyaninum Kingia australis Lechenaultia formosa (Red Leschenaultia) Wurmbea tenella (Eight Nancy)
Exocarpos sparteus, with the common names that include Broom Ballart, Native Cherry or Slender Cherry, is an Australian endemic plant, found growing across Western Australia, and other parts of Australia, including Tasmania.
It grows as a shrub to small tree, up to 4 metres tall, with drooping branchlets that bear the greenish-yellow (occasionally white) flowers. The egg-shaped fruit is pink to red, white, between 4-5 mm. The leaves are stalkless.
Exocarpos sparteus (exo = on the outside, seed on the outside of, carpus = a fruit… and sparteus = Spanish broom, broom like habit). A beautiful weeping large shrub/ small tree, hemiparasitic on roots, sweet tiny fruits.
South East Nyungah we call this Tjerup or Emu bush. It mainly Fruits for us from Birak to Bunuru. Only eat the Fruit when Red. It’s sweet tasting. Birds love this as well. We use the whole plant.
More information in Flora Great Southerrn > Exocarpos sparteus (Broom Ballart)
- Scientific classification
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Phylum: Charophyta
- Class: Equisetopsida
- Subclass: Magnoliidae
- Superorder: Santalanae
- Order: Santalales
- Family: Santalaceae
- Genus: Exocarpos
- Species: Exocarpos sparteus
Footnote & References
- Exocarpos sparteus, Great Southern Region WA. Photographs © Terry Dunham
- Exocarpos sparteus R.Br., Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/Exocarpos sparteu
- Exocarpos sparteus R.Br., Broom Ballart, Western Australian Herbarium (1998–). Florabase—the Western Australian Flora. Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, https://florabase.dbca.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/10765
Western Australia FloraFlora Index Acacia glaucoptera (Flat Wattle) Anigozanthos (Kangaroo Paws) Banksia carlinoides Conostylis argentea Daviesia pachyphylla (Ouch Bush) Exocarpos sparteus Gompholobium cyaninum Kingia australis Lechenaultia formosa (Red Leschenaultia) Wurmbea tenella (Eight Nancy)
Western AustraliaWestern Australia Fauna Western Australia Flora The Batavia Coast and Midwest WA Bungle Bungles – Purnululu National Park Great Southern WA South West WA Stirling Range National Park