Citronella smythii

Family

Icacinaceae

Botanical Name

Citronella smythii (F.Muell.) R.A.Howard

Howard, R.A. (1940) Journal of the Arnold Arboretum 21: 475. Type: ?.

Synonyms

Chariessa smythii (F.Muell.) Becc., Malesia 1: 118(1877), Type: ?. Villaresia smythii F.Muell., Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae 5: 156(1865), Type: Ad sinum Rockinghams Bay. Dallachy.. Villaresia adenophylla Domin, Bibliotheca Botanica 89(4): 604(1928), Type: Nord-Queensland: Regenwalder bei Harveys Creek (DOMIN I. 1910).

Common name

Soapbox; Beech, Northern Silky; White Oak; Beech, Silky; Northern Silky Beech; Silky Beech; Oak, White

Stem

Seldom exceeding 45 cm dbh. Oak grain in the wood. Living bark layer quite thin.

Leaves

Young shoots and twigs densely clothed in rusty or yellowish brown erect hairs. Leaf blades about 11-17 x 4-8.5 cm. Midrib depressed on the upper surface. Oak grain in the twigs.

Flowers

Inflorescence usually a raceme of heads. Petals about 3-4.5 mm long. Ovary +/- glabrous. Usually one style developed but one or two vestigial styles usually visible. Stigma terminal, not much wider than the style and less than 1/4 of the diameter of the ovary.

Fruit

Fruits 12-16 mm long. Seeds with a longitudinal groove formed by the intrusion of the endocarp.

Seedlings

Cotyledons ovate, about 39-45 x 30-38 mm, petioles hairy. First leaf blades ovate-elliptic, with both surfaces clothed in hairs. Hypocotyl clothed in hairs. At the tenth leaf stage: leaves hairy on the upper surface at least along the midrib and main lateral veins; terminal bud, stem, petiole and expanding leaves densely hairy.

Distribution and Ecology

Endemic to Queensland, occurs in CYP (as far north as Mt Carter) and NEQ. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 1200 m. Grows as an understory tree in well developed rain forest on a variety of sites.

Natural History

Fallen fruit eaten by Cassowaries. Cooper & Cooper (1994).

CYP

X

NEQ

X

Tree

X

RFK Code

6