Symplocos thwaitesii
Encyclopedia
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
.
The range of natural distribution is from Orbost (37° S) in the state of Victoria
up the east coast of New South Wales
to the Atherton Tableland
(17° S) in tropical Queensland
.
where it is mostly seen between 6 to 12 metres in height. In Victoria
it can grow to 22 metres high, with a trunk diameter of 57 cm.
The trunk is straight and cylindrical, without buttresses or fluting. The bark is fairly smooth; dark brown in colour. Sometimes with vertical rows of bumps. Flaking plates of bark and vertical cracks may be seen on larger trees.
Leaf venation is easily noticed, particularly on the underside. Net veins are not clearly evident above the leaf, better seen under the leaf. The paler coloured midrib is sunken on the top leaf surface, and raised under the leaf. The leaf stalk is 10 to 15 mm long, flattened on the top side and but rounded underneath.
s; occasionally the flowers turn bluish-black. Flowering occurs between the months of September to December, although these trees may flower at other times such as between May to June. Flowers are relatively large, 9 to 15 mm long, giving rise to an alternative common name Large-flowered Hazelwood. Another distinguishing feature is that the flowers of the similar White Hazelwood are on panicle
s, not raceme
s as is the case in this species.
The fruit is a drupe
, 12 to 14 mm long, purplish-black and egg-shaped, maturing in January to March. The five sepals persist on the fruit, but not the floral bract
s. The fruit is eaten by the Green Catbird
. Fresh seed should be used for regeneration, after the removal of the aril
.
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
tree growing in eastern Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Seen in tropical, sub-tropical and warm temperate rainforests, often in gullies. Occasionally it grows in cooler situations such as at Monga National Park
Monga National Park
Monga National Park is located 230 km south west of Sydney, Australia. The closest town nearby is Braidwood.Monga features outstanding high altitude eucalyptus forest and cool temperate rainforest....
.
The range of natural distribution is from Orbost (37° S) in the state of Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
up the east coast of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
to the Atherton Tableland
Atherton Tableland
The Atherton Tableland is a fertile plateau which is part of the Great Dividing Range in Queensland, Australia. It is located west to south-south-west inland from Cairns, well into the tropics, but its elevated position provides a climate suitable for dairy farming. It has an area of around...
(17° S) in tropical Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
.
Description
A small to medium sized tree, up to 30 metres tall and 80 cm in diameter. Usually much smaller, particularly in New South WalesNew South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
where it is mostly seen between 6 to 12 metres in height. In Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
it can grow to 22 metres high, with a trunk diameter of 57 cm.
The trunk is straight and cylindrical, without buttresses or fluting. The bark is fairly smooth; dark brown in colour. Sometimes with vertical rows of bumps. Flaking plates of bark and vertical cracks may be seen on larger trees.
Leaves
Leaves alternate, firm, heavy and toothed, but not toothed at the base. The leaf serration is more evident and more widely spaced than in the White Hazelwood. The leathery leaves "rattle" together when a branch is shaken. Leaf shape elliptic or wide lanceolate 12 to 18 cm long to a short leaf tip.Leaf venation is easily noticed, particularly on the underside. Net veins are not clearly evident above the leaf, better seen under the leaf. The paler coloured midrib is sunken on the top leaf surface, and raised under the leaf. The leaf stalk is 10 to 15 mm long, flattened on the top side and but rounded underneath.
Flowers and Fruit
The greenish white flowers form on racemeRaceme
A raceme is a type of inflorescence that is unbranched and indeterminate and bears pedicellate flowers — flowers having short floral stalks called pedicels — along the axis. In botany, axis means a shoot, in this case one bearing the flowers. In a raceme, the oldest flowers are borne...
s; occasionally the flowers turn bluish-black. Flowering occurs between the months of September to December, although these trees may flower at other times such as between May to June. Flowers are relatively large, 9 to 15 mm long, giving rise to an alternative common name Large-flowered Hazelwood. Another distinguishing feature is that the flowers of the similar White Hazelwood are on panicle
Panicle
A panicle is a compound raceme, a loose, much-branched indeterminate inflorescence with pedicellate flowers attached along the secondary branches; in other words, a branched cluster of flowers in which the branches are racemes....
s, not raceme
Raceme
A raceme is a type of inflorescence that is unbranched and indeterminate and bears pedicellate flowers — flowers having short floral stalks called pedicels — along the axis. In botany, axis means a shoot, in this case one bearing the flowers. In a raceme, the oldest flowers are borne...
s as is the case in this species.
The fruit is a drupe
Drupe
In botany, a drupe is a fruit in which an outer fleshy part surrounds a shell of hardened endocarp with a seed inside. These fruits develop from a single carpel, and mostly from flowers with superior ovaries...
, 12 to 14 mm long, purplish-black and egg-shaped, maturing in January to March. The five sepals persist on the fruit, but not the floral bract
Bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale. Bracts are often different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of a different color, shape, or texture...
s. The fruit is eaten by the Green Catbird
Green Catbird
The Green Catbird, Ailuroedus crassirostris is a species of bowerbird found on subtropical forests along the east coast of Australia, from southeastern Queensland to southern New South Wales. Its colouring is emerald green, with faint black markings on the face and white streaks on the neck.Green...
. Fresh seed should be used for regeneration, after the removal of the aril
Aril
An aril is any specialized outgrowth from the funiculus that covers or is attached to the seed. It is sometimes applied to any appendage or thickening of the seed coat in flowering plants, such as the edible parts of the mangosteen and pomegranate fruit, the mace of the nutmeg seed, or the...
.