Polyscias murrayi | |
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Pencil cedar at Berrico Trig, Barrington Tops, Australia | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Apiales |
Family: | Araliaceae |
Genus: | Polyscias |
Species: | P. murrayi |
Binomial name | |
Polyscias murrayi | |
Synonyms | |
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Polyscias murrayi, known as the pencil cedar, is a very common rainforest tree of eastern Australia.
It occurs as a secondary regeneration species in disturbed rainforest areas, often on hillsides. The tree is identified by cylindrical trunk; abruptly forking into many branches, and supporting an impressive dark canopy.
Other common names include the umbrella tree, white basswood and pencilwood. The range of natural distribution is from the Howe Range, just over the border in the state of Victoria (37° S), [1] up through New South Wales and to Atherton, Queensland (17° S). It also occurs in New Guinea.
This small to medium size tree grows to 25 metres tall with a trunk diameter of 50 cm. It is unbranched at the end of the main trunk, then breaks out into a many branched crown. The cylindrical trunk is mostly smooth, greyish or brown. The base of the tree is not flanged, fluted or buttressed.
Leaves are alternate and pinnate with 8 to 30 leaflets, opposite on the leaf stalk, entire or toothed, ovate lanceolate in shape, 8 to 15 cm long. However, leaves may be much larger on younger trees. Leaf stalks are up to 120 cm long and leaflet stalks 3 to 8 mm long. Between each pair of leaflets on the leaf stalk, a gland may be seen. The midrib is white or paler green, raised under the leaf. Leaf venation is more easily seen on the top of the leaf.
Creamy green flowers form on stalks on umbels in the months of February to March. The fruit is a blue drupe, usually with two lobes, sometimes three. Fruit matures from April to June. Germination from fresh seed is slow.
The fruit is eaten by a variety of birds, including the brown cuckoo dove, Lewin's honeyeater, rose crowned fruit dove, satin bowerbird and superb fruit dove.[ citation needed ]
Polyscias murrayi is useful to bush regenerators as a nursery tree, which provides shade for longer lived young trees underneath. It is also an attractive ornamental tree.
Symplocos stawellii, or the white hazelwood, is a rainforest tree growing in eastern Australia. It often grows along creeks in gullies, in tropical and sub-tropical rainforests. The natural distribution is from Gerringong Creek in the upper Kangaroo Valley of New South Wales to the Atherton Tableland in tropical Queensland. It also occurs in New Guinea.
Diploglottis australis, known as the native tamarind, is a well known rainforest tree of eastern Australia. It is easily identified by the large sausage shaped leaflets.
Beilschmiedia obtusifolia is a rainforest tree in the laurel family Lauraceae, found in rainforests of eastern Australia and also in New Guinea. In Australia it ranges from Port Macquarie in New South Wales northwards to Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, within tropical and sub tropical rainforests, usually on the more fertile basaltic sites, but sometimes close to the sea. Its common names include blush walnut, hard bolly gum, and nut wood.
Myrsine variabilis, synonym 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.
Polyscias elegans, known as the celery wood, is a rainforest tree of eastern Australia. It occurs in a variety of different rainforest types, from fertile basaltic soils, to sand dunes and less fertile sedimentary soils. The range of natural distribution is from Jervis Bay in southern New South Wales to Thursday Island, north of the Australian continent. Other common names include black pencil cedar and silver basswood. Polyscias elegans is useful to bush regenerators as a nursery tree, which provides shade for longer-lived young trees underneath. Polyscias elegans is also known as Celery wood, Mowbulan whitewood, Silver basswood and White sycamore.
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. Lignum vitae is Latin for "wood of life".
Rhodosphaera is a genus of plants in the family Anacardiaceae. The genus includes a single species, Rhodosphaera rhodanthema, which is a rainforest tree of eastern Australia. It grows in sub tropical rainforests and also in the drier form of rainforests. The natural range of distribution is from the Macleay River, New South Wales to Maryborough in south east Queensland. Common names include deep yellowwood, yellow cedar and tulip satinwood.
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.
Polyscias sambucifolia, commonly known as elderberry panax or small basswood, is a species of plant native to eastern Australia.
Dysoxylum mollissimum subsp. molle, 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.
Elattostachys nervosa, known as the green tamarind or beetroot tree is a common rainforest tree of eastern Australia. Found in all types of rainforest, growing from Paterson, New South Wales in the south to Gympie in south east Queensland. The name Elattostachys refers to "little spikes", a flower feature of other plants in this genus. Nervosa refers to the prominent leaf venation. Beetroot Tree refers to the beetroot red leaves of the new growth.
Cryptocarya bidwillii, the yellow laurel, is a small to medium-sized tree in the laurel family. Occurring in Australian rainforests from Nymboida in the state of New South Wales to Townsville in tropical Queensland. Often found in the dryer ridges in dry rainforest or in viney scrubs.
Austrobuxus swainii is a rare rainforest tree in the Picrodendraceae family. It is endemic to north east New South Wales and south eastern Queensland, Australia. Occurring from the Bellinger River in the south to Tallebudgera Creek in the north. The common names are pink cherry or hairybark. The habitat is less fertile sedimentary based soils, often associated with the Coachwood, in high rainfall areas. Listed on ROTAP, as a threatened species, with a rating of 3RCa.
Bridelia exaltata, known as the brush ironbark or scrub ironbark, is a tree of eastern Australia. It occurs in and on the margins of the drier rainforests. Also occurring by streams, often in association with the Black Bean, up to an elevation of 600 metres above sea level. It occurs from Seal Rocks, New South Wales to Maryborough, Queensland.
Sarcopteryx stipata, known as the steelwood, is a rainforest tree of eastern Australia occurring from the Bulga Plateau and Comboyne Plateau north west of Taree, New South Wales as far north as Fraser Island off the coast of south eastern Queensland. It grows in sub tropical rainforest but sometimes occurs in warm temperate rainforests on poorer soils. It is a member of the soap berry family. The generic name Sarcopteryx translates to "fleshy wing", as the fruit can be wing shaped. Stipata means "surrounded". The common name steelwood refers to the very tough, hard and heavy timber.
Mischocarpus pyriformis, known as the pear fruited tamarind is a rainforest tree of eastern Australia. Occurring from Seal Rocks, New South Wales to as far north as Cooktown in tropical Queensland. The sub species found in New South Wales is Mischocarpus pyriformis subsp. pyriformis.
Baloghia marmorata is a rare rainforest plant of eastern Australia. It is commonly known as the marbled baloghia.
Owenia cepiodora is a medium to large Australian tree in the family Meliaceae. It occurs in the rainforests of north eastern New South Wales and adjacent areas in Queensland. The habitat is mostly the drier Hoop Pine rainforests along the state border. Only small regrowth trees remain, as it was heavily logged in earlier times. Its status is now considered vulnerable with a ROTAP rating of 2VCi.
Arytera distylis, known as the two-leaved coogera or twin-leaved coogera is a rainforest tree of eastern Australia. It grows by streams or in sea side rainforests. It occurs from the Orara River in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, extending up to Maryborough in south east Queensland.
Pittosporum lancifolium, known as the narrow-leaved orange thorn or sticky orange thorn, is a shrub or tree growing in eastern Australia. Often found at altitudes above 500 metres above sea level; from Mallanganee National Park in New South Wales in the south to Yarraman in south east Queensland in the north.