Peltophorum pterocarpum

Family

Caesalpiniaceae

Botanical Name

Peltophorum pterocarpum (DC.) Backer ex K.Heyne

Heyne, K. (1927) De Nuttige Planten van Nederlandsch Indie ed. 2 2: 755. Type: ?.

Synonyms

Inga pterocarpa DC., Prodr. 2: 441(1825), Type: Timor; holo: P; iso: K. Fide Ding Kou Fl, Males. ser. 1 12: 561 (1966). Peltophorum ferrugineum (Decne.) Benth., Flora Australiensis 2: 279(1864), Type: ?. Peltophorum inerme (Roxb.) Naves, Flore de Filipinas: 69(1880), Type: ?. Caesalpinia ferruginea Decne., Herb. Tim. Descr.: 134(1834), Type: Timor, holo: P?. Caesalpinia inerme Roxb., Hort Bengal: 90(1814), Type: Timor.

Common name

Yellow Poinciana; Peltophorum; Soga; Yellow Flame Tree

Stem

Blaze odour aromatic.

Leaves

Leaflet blades about 12-20 x 6-9 mm, +/- sessile, unequal-sided, apex usually emarginate. Lateral veins forming loops inside the blade margin. Young shoots densely clothed in brown hairs.

Flowers

Flowers in large panicles about 30-50 cm long. Petals wavy and crumpled, about 15-18 mm long, pubescent towards the base on both inner and outer surfaces. Pollen orange. Stigma bright green.

Fruit

Pods +/- winged or with thin margins, apex apiculate. Seeds 1-5 per pod, seeds very hard, about 9 x 4 mm.

Seedlings

Cotyledons somewhat fleshy, oblong or elliptic, about 16-20 x 7-10 mm, apex obtuse, base auriculate. At the tenth leaf stage: the terminal bud densely clothed in rusty red hairs; stem hairs +/- glandular.

Distribution and Ecology

Occurs in NT low elevations. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 100 m. Usually grows in open forest but also found in monsoon forest and closed forest particularly on heavy soils on river flood plains. Also occurs in Malesia and Asia. Widely cultivated throughout the tropics particularly in areas with a marked dry season. Occurrences in WA, CYP and NEQ are probably the direct or indirect consequences of cultivation. Fide Pedley (1998).