Harpullia arborea

Family

Sapindaceae

Botanical Name

Harpullia arborea (Blanco) Radlk.

Radlkofer, L.A.T. (1887) Sitzungsberichte der mathematisch-physikalischen Classe der k. b. Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Munchen 16: 404. Type: ?.

Synonyms

Ptelea arborea Blanco, Fl. Filip.: 63(1837), Type: Philippines, Luzon, Sept. 1913, E. D. Merrill sp. Blancoanae 339; holo: ?. Harpullia divaricata Radlk., Sitzungsberichte der mathematisch-physikalischen Classe der k. b. Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Munchen 20: 279(1891), Type: Queensland, Bloomfield River, 1884, Miss E. Bauer; iso: MEL.

Common name

Cooktown Tulipwood

Stem

Usually grows as a medium-sized tree.

Leaves

Leaflets about 8-12 per compound leaf, variable in size, the lower leaflets in each compound leaf usually smaller than those further up. Leaflet blades about 7-16 x 4-8 cm, leaflet stalks about 0.3-0.6 cm long, clothed in brown stellate hairs. Compound leaf rhachis clothed in brown simple hairs.

Flowers

Inflorescence about 4-22 cm long clothed in stellate hairs and scattered long glandular hairs. Pedicels about 10-50 mm long. Sepals obovate, about 6-7 mm long clothed in stellate hairs. Petals clawed, about 12-14 mm long, glabrous except for the claw. Stamens five. Disk hairy. Ovary pubescent, style about 10-15 mm long and twisted.

Fruit

Fruits broadly obcordate, bilobed, about 20 x 40 mm, outer surface clothed in short hairs. Outer surface orange, inner surface red. Seeds about 13-15 mm long, testa shiny black. Aril absent. Embryo green, cotyledons massive, radicle curved, about 7 mm long.

Seedlings

First leaf or pair of leaves compound with 2-4 leaflets but the compound leaf ends in a small leaf-like process about 2-4 mm long. Simple and glandular hairs visible on the stem and leaves. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf pinnate with about 4-6 leaflets. Stem, terminal bud and compound leaf rhachis clothed in brown, simple and glandular hairs.

Distribution and Ecology

Occurs in CYP and NEQ. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 250 m. Grows in a variety of lowland rain forest types from well developed rain forest to monsoon forest. Also occurs in Asia, Malesia and the Pacific islands.