Dysoxylum gaudichaudianum

Family

Meliaceae

Botanical Name

Dysoxylum gaudichaudianum (A.Juss.) Miq.

Miquel, F.A.W. (1868) Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugh. Bat. 4: 15. Type: ?.

Synonyms

Didymocheton gaudichaudianum A.Juss., Bull. Sci. Nat. Geol. 23: 239(1830), Type: Pulo Lawak (Rawak) , Waigeo, Irian Jaya, Jan. 1819, C. Gaudichaud-Beaupre s. n.; holo: P-JUSS; iso: G-DC, P. Dysoxylum amooroides Miq., Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugd. Bat. 4: 16(1868), Type: Southwest Irian Jaya, A. Zippelius s. n. ; lecto: U; isolecto: L. Dysoxylum decandrum (Blanco) Merr., Bureau of Government Laboratories (Philippines) No. 27: 30(1905), Type: ?. Dysoxylum rufum var. glabrescens Benth., Flora Australiensis 1: 382(1863), Type: Rockhampton, Thozet. Turraea decandra Blanco, Fl. Filip.: 347(1837), Type: Manila, Philippines, E. D. Merrill, Sp. Blancoanae 218, neo: PHN+; isoneo: A, BM, BO, G, K, L, P.

Common name

Ivory Mahogany; Mahogany, Ivory

Stem

Blaze odour variable, sometimes faint and resembling that of shallots (Allium ascalonicum) or beans (Phaseolus vulgaris).

Leaves

Oil dots visible with a lens. Leaf bearing twigs usually robust, lenticels elongated, conspicuous on the older twigs; base of the leaflet blades usually oblique. Leaflet stalk short. Leaflet blades about 12-30 x 3.5-8 cm.

Flowers

Sepals distinct, +/- free from one another, imbricate, obtuse at the apex. Outer surface of the corolla densely clothed in pale, prostrate hairs. Petals about 12-14 mm long. Stamens ten. Disk resembles a small staminal tube. Ovary pubescent.

Fruit

Fruits depressed globular, about 25 mm long overall, outer surface tomentellous. Aril (sarcotesta) orange-brown covering about 25% of the seed. Cotyledons green.

Seedlings

The second, third or fourth leaf often obscurely lobed or toothed. Usually 1 or 2 leaves trifoliolate before 10th leaf stage. At the tenth leaf stage: leaves compound with more than 3 leaflets; upper surface of leaf blade, petiole and rhachis hairy.

Distribution and Ecology

Occurs in CYP, NEQ and southwards as far as south-eastern Queensland. Altitudinal range from sea level to 300 m. Grows in well developed lowland and upland rain forest but probably reaches its best development in gallery forest on river flats. Also occurs in Malesia, Christmas Island and the SW Pacific islands.