Western woody pear

Description

Xylomelum occidentale, commonly known as the western woody pear, is a tree species in the family Proteaceae. It is endemic to Western Australia. The Noongar peoples know the plant as danja, dumbung or koongal. It was first described by Robert Brown in 1830. The species name is derived from the Latin adjective occidentalis "western". The tree or shrub typically grows to a height of 2 to 8 metres (6 ft 7 in to 26 ft 3 in) and has epicormic buds. It blooms between December and February producing cream white flowers. It is found in the South West, Peel and Swan Coastal Plain regions of Western Australia where it grows in sandy soils.