Sarcopteryx martyana

Family

Sapindaceae

Botanical Name

Sarcopteryx martyana (F.Muell.) Radlk.

Radlkofer, L.A.T. (1879) Actes du Congres International de Botanistes ... Amsterdam for 1877: 128. Type: ?.

Synonyms

Ratonia martyana (F.Muell.) F.M.Bailey, The Queensland Flora 1: 298(1899), Type: ?. Cupania martyana F.Muell., Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae 5: 6(1865), Type: Ad amnes et rivos in sinum Rockingham Bay fluentes. Dallachy..

Stem

Sapwood surface corrugated. A thin cream or pale brown layer may be visible beneath the subrhytidome layer before the first section of the outer blaze.

Leaves

Young shoots, leaf bearing twigs and compound leaf rhachis densely clothed in erect brown hairs. Leafy twigs longitudinally grooved. Leaflets about 2-4 in the compound leaf, each leaflet blade about 3.5-18.5 x 1-6.5 cm. Midrib somewhat raised and hairy on the upper surface. Leaflet stalks usually 5-12 mm long, swollen at their junction with the compound leaf rhachis.

Flowers

Inflorescence about 4.5-18 cm long, pedicels about 2-4 mm long. Calyx lobes ovate, about 2 mm long, rusty-villous. Petals obovate, about 2 mm long, each petal with a 2-lobed hairy scale or structure near the base of the inner surface. Stamens eight, filaments hairy, about 2 mm long, inserted inside the disk.

Fruit

Fruits puberulous, not stipitate, broadly depressed obovoid, triquetrous, narrowly winged at the angles, fruits including the wings about 10-15 x 15-20 mm. Aril completely enclosing the seed. Seed ellipsoid, about 8 x 4 mm.

Seedlings

First pair of leaves compound with 3-5 leaflets, terminal leaflet present. At the tenth leaf stage: leaflet blades elliptic or ovate, apex acuminate, base cuneate, upper surface hairy along the midrib and main lateral veins; petiole and rhachis of compound leaf and leaflet stalks densely clothed in pale or reddish brown hairs.

Distribution and Ecology

Endemic to Queensland, occurs in NEQ and southwards as far as coastal central Queensland. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 750 m. Grows as an understory tree in lowland and upland rain forest.