Didymocheton pettigrewianus

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Spur mahogany
Dysoxylum pettigrewianum.jpg
Daintree National Park, Australia
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Meliaceae
Genus: Didymocheton
Species:
D. pettigrewianus
Binomial name
Didymocheton pettigrewianus
Synonyms [3]
  • Dysoxylum pettigrewianumF.M.Bailey

Didymocheton pettigrewianus, commonly known as spur mahogany, spurwood, or Cairns satinwood, is a large tree in the family Meliaceae. It is native to the rainforests of Malesia, Papuasia and Queensland. In Queensland it occurs only in a small part of the northeast coast.

Contents

Description

The spur mahogany may reach in excess of 35 m (115 ft) tall, with a trunk to 1.2 m (4 ft) wide. [4] [5] It is known for its tall, branched and wandering buttress roots, which can reach up to 2.5 m (8 ft) in height and extend up to 2 m (7 ft) from the trunk. [4] The rough flaky bark is brown with numerous lenticels. [4] [6]

The large whorled leaves are imparipinnate with between 7 and 15 leaflets. They can reach up to 80 cm (31 in) long with a petiole up to 10 cm (4 in). [4] The petiole is sharply but very shortly winged and is swollen at its junction with the branch. [7] The leaflets vary in size, the proximal ones are relatively small and the distal ones larger. The terminal leaflet is the largest, measuring up to 20 by 6 cm (8 by 2 in). [4] [7]

The inflorescences are racemes or spikes to about 19 cm (7.5 in) long, produced on the twigs (or rarely in the leaf axils). [4] [5] Appearing in December and January, they carry numerous small fragrant flowers which are sessile and creamy white in colour. [4] [5] [7] The flowers have four linear to spathulate petals to 9 mm (0.35 in) long and a distinctive staminal tube (i.e. a tube made up of fused stamens) which is slightly flared at the tip. [4]

The fruit are a more or less pyriform (i.e. pear-shaped) capsule up to 45 mm (1.8 in) wide by 40 mm (1.6 in) long. They are dark brown on the outside with a warty appearance. At maturity they split to reveal the orange coloured interior with up to four seeds. [4] [5] [7]

Taxonomy

The species was first described as Dysoxylum pettigrewianum by the colonial botanist of Queensland Frederick Manson Bailey. His description was based on specimens collected from "Scrubs at the base of Bellenden-Ker Range and the Barron River," [2] [7] and was published in Botany Bulletin. Department of Agriculture, Queensland 5: 9 in July 1892. [2] [4] In 2021 a review of the genus Dysoxylum was published, finding that the group was polyphyletic (i.e. the most recent ancestor of the members was not the same for all members. As a result large scale changes were made to the genus, and this species was given the new combination Didymocheton pettigrewianus. [8]

Etymology

The species epithet was chosen by Bailey to honour the Brisbane businessman and politician William Pettigrew. [2] [5] Bailey wrote: "After the Hon. William Pettigrew, who has always taken a deep interest in Queensland timbers." [2]

Distribution and habitat

In Australia Didymocheton pettigrewianus grows in well developed rainforest from just north of Hope Vale to the Paluma Range, just north of Townsville. It is also found in the Maluku Islands, New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. [4] [9]

It is found at altitudes from near sea level up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft), reaching its best development in the lowlands on basalt soils. [4] [7]

Ecology

The fruit are eaten by cassowaries (Casuarius spp.) who swallow the entire fruit, and by metallic starlings (Aplonis metallica), who extract and swallow just the seeds. [5] [7] [10] The leaves are eaten by Lumholtz's tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus lumholtzi). [11]

The northern leaf-tailed gecko (Saltuarius cornutus) often hunts for prey in the scaly bark where it is well camouflaged. [6]

Conservation

This species is listed by Queensland's Department of Environment, Science and Innovation as least concern. [1] As of 2 December 2022, it has not been assessed by the IUCN.

Uses

The timber of Didymocheton pettigrewianus is classified as a hardwood, with a specific gravity of 865 kg/m3 (1,458.0 lb/cu yd). [12] It is red/brown in colour and is used as a general purpose and cabinet timber. It was once popular for boat building. [7]

Growing too large for the average garden, it is suitable for planting in parks and public gardens, making a useful shade tree. Young plants need shelter, and the species does best in a well-drained acidic soil. [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meliaceae</span> Family of plants commonly known as the Mahogany family

Meliaceae, the mahogany family, is a flowering plant family of mostly trees and shrubs in the order Sapindales.

<i>Dysoxylum</i> Genus of plants in the family Meliaceae

Dysoxylum is a genus of rainforest trees and shrubs in the flowering plant family Meliaceae. About 34 species are recognised in the genus, distributed from India and southern China, through southeast Asia to Australia and the western Pacific. The name Dysoxylum derives from the Greek word ‘Dys’ meaning "bad" referring to "ill-smelling" and ‘Xylon’ meaning "wood".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kohekohe</span> Species of tree

Kohekohe is a medium-sized tree in the Meliaceae family, native to New Zealand. It is found in lowland and coastal forests throughout most of the North Island and also occurs in the Marlborough Sounds in the north of the South Island. Mature trees grow up to 15 metres (49 ft) in height, with a trunk up to a metre in diameter.

<i>Normanbya</i> Monotypic genus of palm endemic to Queensland

Normanbya is a monotypic genus of palms containing the single species Normanbya normanbyi, which is known by the common name black palm It is endemic to Queensland, Australia and is threatened by habitat destruction.

<i>Dysoxylum fraserianum</i> Species of tree

Dysoxylum fraserianum, commonly known as rosewood or rose mahogany, is a medium-sized to large tree native to New South Wales and Queensland. It is widely used with the purpose of street design and to provide shade in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. Rosewood ranges from the rainforest around eastern Australia from Bundaberg in Queensland to Wyong in New South Wales. At maturity, it can reach a height of 57 metres (200 ft). It is generally known for its strong scent of rose from its bark.

<i>Didymocheton</i> Genus of flowering plants

Didymocheton is a genus of flowering plants in the family Meliaceae. It includes 41 species which range from eastern India through Indochina and southern China to Malesia, Papuasia, eastern Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific.

Prasoxylon is a genus of flowering plants in the family Meliaceae. It includes seven species which range from Nepal and eastern India through Indochina to southern China, Taiwan, Malesia, Sri Lanka, Papuasia, and Queensland.

<i>Didymocheton mollis</i> Subspecies of tree

Didymocheton mollis, the red bean or Miva mahogany, is a rainforest tree in the family Meliaceae. It occurs in tropical, sub-tropical and littoral rainforests in eastern Australia, as far southwards as north-eastern New South Wales. Also occurs in Malesia and the south-western Pacific Islands. In Australia it is distributed from the Bellinger River in New South Wales in the south, to the wet tropics of north-eastern Queensland. The specific epithet mollissimum is from the Latin, meaning "very soft", describing the soft hairy leaflets. A signposted red bean tree may be seen near the car park of Victoria Park Nature Reserve in north-eastern New South Wales.

<i>Carnarvonia araliifolia</i> Species of plant in the family Proteaceae

Carnarvonia araliifolia, commonly known as the red oak, red silky oak, Caledonian oak or elephant's foot, is the sole species in the monotypic genus Carnarvonia, a member of the Proteaceae plant family. It is endemic to the rainforests of northeastern Queensland.

<i>Dysoxylum arborescens</i> Species of plant in the family Meliaceae

Dysoxylum arborescens, commonly known in Australia as Mossman mahogany, is a small tree in the mahogany family Meliaceae. It is native to rainforests of Malesia, Papuasia, Queensland and nearby islands.


Didymocheton mollissimus is a species of tree in the family Meliaceae. It ranges from eastern India and Bangladesh to southern China, Myanmar, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo, Sumatra, Java, the Lesser Sunda Islands, and the Philippines, where it grows in lowland tropical moist forests.

<i>Dysoxylum parasiticum</i> Species of tree in the family Meliaceae

Dysoxylum parasiticum, commonly known as yellow mahogany, is a species of rainforest tree in the family Meliaceae native to Taiwan, parts of Malesia, Papuasia, and northeast Queensland.

<i>Dysoxylum gaudichaudianum</i> Species of tree in the family Meliaceae

Dysoxylum gaudichaudianum, commonly known as ivory mahogany, is a species of rainforest tree in the family Meliaceae, native to Malesia, Queensland, and some southwest Pacific islands.

<i>Palaquium galactoxylum</i> Species of tree in the family Sapotaceae

Palaquium galactoxylum, commonly known as Cairns pencil cedar, Daintree maple or red silkwood, is a species of very large tree in the family Sapotaceae which is endemic to rainforests of New Guinea and northern Australia. It can produce spectacularly large buttress roots.

<i>Harpullia ramiflora</i> Species of plant in the family Sapindaceae

Harpullia ramiflora, commonly known as the Claudie tulipwood or Cape York tulipwood, is a tree in the Sapindaceae family native to north east Queensland, New Guinea and parts of Malesia.

<i>Harpullia rhyticarpa</i> Species of plant in the family Sapindaceae

Harpullia rhyticarpa, commonly known as slender harpullia, is a plant in the family Sapindaceae which is endemic to the rainforests northeastern Queensland, Australia.

<i>Diploglottis diphyllostegia</i> Species of plant in the family Sapindaceae

Diploglottis diphyllostegia, commonly known as the northern tamarind, native tamarind or wild tamarind, is a tree in the lychee family Sapindaceae which is endemic to Queensland, Australia. It is an attractive tree with potential in cultivation, with a dense crown of dark green leaves and masses of fruit in spring and summer.

<i>Gillbeea adenopetala</i> Species of plant in the family Cunoniaceae

Gillbeea adenopetala, commonly known as Pink alder, is an evergreen tree in the largely southern hemisphere family Cunoniaceae. It was first described in 1865 and is endemic to a small part of Queensland, Australia.

Epicharis is a genus of flowering plants in the family Meliaceae. It includes seven species which range from Indochina to south-central China, Taiwan, Malesia, Papuasia, Queensland, and Fiji.

Didymocheton alliaceus is a species of flowering plant in the mahogany family, Meliaceae. It is a tree native to the tropical Pacific islands, ranging from the Solomon Islands to the Caroline Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, Wallis and Futuna, Niue, Tonga, and the Samoan Islands. It is most closely related to Didymocheton mollissimus of Malesia and mainland Southeast Asia, D. mollis of the Solomon Islands, New Guinea, and Sulawesi, and D. muelleri of northeastern Australia.

References

  1. 1 2 "Species profile—Dysoxylum pettigrewianum". Queensland Department of Environment and Science. Queensland Government . Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Didymocheton pettigrewianus". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, Australian Government . Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  3. "Didymocheton pettigrewianus (F.M.Bailey) Hauenschild & Holzmeyer". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2024. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Mabberley, D.J. (2022). Sandgren, M.; Kodela, P.G. (eds.). "Dysoxylum pettigrewianum". Flora of Australia . Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Cooper, Wendy; Cooper, William T. (June 2004). Fruits of the Australian Tropical Rainforest. Clifton Hill, Victoria, Australia: Nokomis Editions. p. 290. ISBN   9780958174213.
  6. 1 2 "Rainforest Plants| Daintree Rainforest Discovery Centre". Daintree Discovery Centre. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 F.A.Zich; B.P.M.Hyland; T.Whiffen; R.A.Kerrigan (2020). "Dysoxylum pettigrewianum". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants Edition 8 (RFK8). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government . Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  8. Holzmeyer, Laura; Hauenschild, Frank; Mabberley, David J.; Muellner-Riehl, Alexandra N. (2021). "Confirmed polyphyly, generic recircumscription and typification of Dysoxylum (Meliaceae), with revised disposition of currently accepted species". Taxon. 70 (6): 1248–1272. doi:10.1002/tax.12591.
  9. "Search: species: Dysoxylum pettigrewianum | Occurrence records | The Australasian Virtual Herbarium". Australasian Virtual Herbarium . Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  10. Beasley, John (2006) Plants of Tropical Queensland: the compact guide, Footloose Publications; page 104. ISBN   1-876617-13-6
  11. Martin, Roger William (2005). Tree-kangaroos of Australia and New Guinea. Collingwood, Victoria: CSIRO Publishing. p. 43. ISBN   0-643-09072-X.
  12. "Build with timbers summary |QTimber". QTimber. Queensland Government . Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  13. Elliot RW, Jones DL, Blake T (1984). Encyclopaedia of Australian Plants Suitable for Cultivation:Volume 3 - Ce-Er. Port Melbourne: Lothian Press. p. 377. ISBN   0-85091-167-2.