Anthocarapa nitidula

Family

Meliaceae

Botanical Name

Anthocarapa nitidula (Benth.) T.D.Penn. ex Mabb.

Mabberley, D.J. (1986) Blumea 31: 133. Type: ?.

Synonyms

Pseudocarapa nitidula (Benth.) Merr. & L.M.Perry, Journal of the Arnold Arboretum 21: 315(1940), Type: ?. Amoora nitidula Benth., Flora Australiensis 1: 383(1863), Type: Queensland. Moreton Bay, W. Hill. N.S. Wales. Richmond and Clarence rivers, Beckler..

Common name

Incensewood; Jimmy Jimmy; Incense Cedar; Bog Onion

Stem

Layering visible in both the living and dead bark. Wood and blaze odour like that of incense.

Leaves

Leaflet blades about 5-15 x 2.5-4.5 cm. Small oil dots visible with a lens. Midrib raised on the upper surface of the leaflet blades. Freshly broken twigs emit an odour like that of the blaze.

Flowers

Disk annular or patelliform. Petals about 5-6 mm long, free from the staminal tube. One ovule per locule.

Fruit

Fruit about 15-20 mm long. Aril or sarcotesta completely enclosing the seed. Cotyledons green.

Seedlings

Hypocotyl oval in transverse section. At the tenth leaf stage: leaflets obovate, apex acute to obtuse, base cuneate, upper surface glabrous; very small oil dots just visible with a lens; petiole and rhachis of compound leaf winged, glabrous.

Distribution and Ecology

Occurs in CYP, NEQ and southwards as far as north-eastern New South Wales. Altitudinal range in CYP and NEQ from near sea level to 1000 m. Grows in well developed rain forest but tends to be more common in drier or more seasonal rain forest. Also occurs in Malesia, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia.