Backhousia sciadophora | |
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Shatterwood at Barrington Tops, New South Wales, Australia. | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Myrtales |
Family: | Myrtaceae |
Genus: | Backhousia |
Species: | B. sciadophora |
Binomial name | |
Backhousia sciadophora | |
Backhousia sciadophora is a common Australian tree, growing from near Dungog in New South Wales to near Kilcoy in south east Queensland. Common names include Shatterwood, Ironwood, Boomerang Tree and Curracabark. The habitat of Shatterwood is drier forms of rainforest in gorges and steep slopes, usually not on volcanic soils.
Shatterwood is a small to medium size tree, occasionally reaching 30 metres in height and 80 cm in trunk diameter. The tree's crown appears dark and attractive.
The trunk of Backhousia sciadophora is cylindrical, and often flanged or buttressed at the base. Shatterwood is so named because of the brittle nature of the timber.
The bark is grey or fawn, rough with short fibres, finely vertically fissured, shedding in narrow scales. The bark structure appears to consist of numerous paper like layers.
The leaves are opposite, simple, entire, broadly ovate or elliptical, 5 to 10 cm long. Round or drawn into a blunt point, or sometimes notched. Oil dots small and numerous. Leaf stalks very short.
Leaf venation includes a looping intermarginal vein, well removed from the leaf's edge. A second intermarginal leaf vein is present, closer to the leaf edge. The midrib vein is sunken on the lower surface, but slightly raised above.
Flowers are white, small and numerous. Flowering period from June to July. The fruit matures from May to August, being a brown capsule, bell shaped, 5 mm in diameter including the five persistent calyx lobes, 2 mm long. Seeds five to eight in each fruit, oval, 1 mm long, golden brown in colour.
Cryptocarya glaucescens, commonly known as jackwood, is a rainforest tree of the laurel family growing in eastern Australia.
Gossia bidwillii, known as the python tree is a rainforest myrtle of eastern Australia. The usual habitat is the drier rainforest areas. The range of natural distribution is from the Hunter River in New South Wales to Coen in far northern Queensland.
Pennantia cunninghamii, known as the brown beech, is a rainforest tree of eastern Australia. The range of natural distribution is from Clyde Mountain near Batemans Bay in southern New South Wales to Atherton in tropical Queensland.
Rapanea variabilis, known as the muttonwood or variable muttonwood is a tree of eastern Australia. The range of natural distribution is from near Milton in southern New South Wales to the McIlwraith Range in far north Queensland.
Vitex lignum-vitae, known in Australia as yellow hollywood or "lignum-vitae", is a rainforest tree of eastern Australia. The natural range of distribution is in dry, sub-tropical or tropical rainforest from the Richmond River, New South Wales to Cape York Peninsula at the northernmost tip of Australia. It also occurs in New Guinea.
Streblus brunonianus, known as the whalebone tree, is a small tree in the fig family. Commonly seen in a variety different types of rainforest, particularly by streams.
Diospyros australis is the most southerly of the group of some 450 ebonies and persimmons. It is a shrub or small tree growing in rainforests of seaward eastern Australia. The habitat is in a variety of different rainforest forms, though not often seen in the cool temperate rainforests. The range of natural distribution is from Durras Lake near Batemans Bay in south east New South Wales, to Atherton in tropical Queensland.
Backhousia leptopetala is a common Australian tree, growing from Stanwell Park in the northern Illawarra district to near Buderim in south eastern Queensland.
Endiandra pubens is a rainforest tree growing in eastern Australia. The habitat is subtropical rainforest growing near streams in valleys. The range of natural distribution is from the Bellinger River, New South Wales to Bulburin National Park, south west of Gladstone, Queensland.
Symplocos thwaitesii, or the buff hazelwood, is a rainforest tree growing in eastern Australia. Seen in tropical, sub-tropical and warm temperate rainforests, often in gullies. Occasionally it grows in cooler situations such as at Monga National Park.
Backhousia subargentea is a rare Australian rainforest tree, growing near Mullumbimby in north eastern New South Wales and from Boonah to Imbil in south eastern Queensland.
Psychotria loniceroides, the hairy psychotria, is a plant native to the forest areas of eastern Australia.
Endiandra discolor is an Australian tree, growing from near Gosford, New South Wales to Tully, Queensland in the tropics. Common names include rose walnut and domatia tree.
Notelaea venosa is a very common shrub or small tree in eastern Australia. Occurring in or adjacent to rainforest from Lakes Entrance, Victoria to Cunninghams Gap in south eastern Queensland. Common names include veined mock-olive, smooth mock-olive, large-leaved mock-olive and large mock-olive. Often seen in the bushland areas in Sydney.
Maytenus silvestris is a shrub or small tree growing from Picton, New South Wales near Kroombit Tops, near Gladstone, Queensland. It occurs in dry rainforest, eucalyptus and rainforest ecotone areas. Common names include narrow leaved orangebark, orange bush and orange bark.
Daphnandra apatela, the socketwood, light yellowwood or canary socketwood is a common rainforest tree in eastern Australia. It grows in the more fertile alluvial soils and basaltic soils. Distributed from the Watagan Mountains in New South Wales to Miriam Vale near Gladstone in Queensland.
Cinnamomum virens is a rainforest tree growing in the eastern coastal parts of Australia. Common names include red-barked sassafras, black sassafras, camphorwood, scentless cinnamon wood, and native camphor laurel. Its habitat is between the Williams River and the Main Range National Park in Queensland. Growing in rich volcanic soils or on the poorer sedimentary soils, it is often in association with coachwood.
Capparis arborea is a bush or small tree occurring in eastern Australia. The habitat is rainforest; usually riverine, littoral or the drier rainforests. Distributed from the Hunter River, New South Wales to Cape Melville in tropical Queensland. Common names include native pomegranate, wild lime, wild lemon and brush caper berry.
Endiandra introrsa is a rare rainforest tree growing in eastern Australia. Listed with a Rare or Threatened Australian Plants (ROTAP) rating of 3RCa. Its habitat is warm temperate rainforest on the poorer rainforest soils, mostly over 300 metres in altitude, and its range of natural distribution is from near Dorrigo to various sites in the state of Queensland.
Alangium villosum subsp. polyosmoides is a rainforest tree of eastern Australia. It occurs on a variety of different soils and rainforests, relatively close to the coast. Found from Minmi near Newcastle to as far north as the McIlwraith Range in far north eastern Australia. It may be seen as a common understorey plant at Wingham Brush Nature Reserve.