Archidendron hendersonii

Family

Mimosaceae

Botanical Name

Archidendron hendersonii (F.Muell.) I.C.Nielsen

Nielsen, I.C. (1982) Nordic J. Bot. 2: 481. Type: ?.

Synonyms

Feuilleea hendersonii (F.Muell.) Kuntze, Revisio Generum Plantarum 1: 188(1891), Type: ?. Abarema hendersonii (F.Muell.) Kosterm., Bulletin of the Organisation for Scientific Research in Indonesia No. 20: 34(1954), Type: ?. Albizia hendersonii (F.Muell.) F.Muell., Journal of Botany 10: 10(1872), Type: ?. Pithecellobium hendersonii F.Muell., Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae 5: 191(1865), Type: Ballina, Richmond River Heads, J. A. Henderson; lecto: MEL. Fide R. S. Cowan, Nuytsia 11:13 (1996).

Common name

White Laceflower; White Lace Flower; Tulip Siris; Siris, Tulip; Henderson's Siris

Stem

Usually a small tree not exceeding 30 cm dbh. Blaze quite fibrous.

Leaves

Leaflet blades sessile, about 4-13 x 2-6 cm, very unequal-sided, particularly towards the base. Leaflet base with a lobe on one side and not lobed on the other. Compound leaf petiole with a +/- flat gland on the upper surface about 1-2 cm from the base.

Flowers

Flowers sessile. Peduncles about 1-2 cm long. Staminal filaments cream throughout, about 20-30 mm long.

Fruit

Fruits orange on the inner surface. Seeds about 5 mm long.

Seedlings

First pair of leaves compound, each leaf with two leaflets, midrib hairy along the upper surface. Hairs very short, tortuous and almost prostrate. At the tenth leaf stage: flat or shallow crater-like glands occur on the upper surface at the apex of the petiole and on the secondary compound leaf axes where the leaflets are attached; leaflet blades without glands; a few pale hairs occur on the petiole and axes of the compound leaf, otherwise glabrous.

Distribution and Ecology

Endemic to Australia, occurs in NEQ and southwards as far as north-eastern New South Wales. Altitudinal range in CYP and NEQ from near sea level to 800 m. Grows in well developed rain forest and gallery forest and drier, more seasonal rain forest.

Natural History

A small tree that has potential in horticulture producing large balls of cream flowers. Will flower as a shrub.