Alphitonia whitei Braid

Braid, K.W. (1932) Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information, Kew : 181. Type: Queensland. Near Barron River, Bailey (24); .. Jordans Creek, Mocatta 23.

Ash, Red; Ash, Northern Red; Northern Red Ash; Red Ash; Red Almond; Sarsaparilla

Blaze odour faint, perhaps resembling liniment.

Stipules quite large, about 5 x 1 mm, caducous. Leaf blades about 9-21 x 3.5-7 cm. Petiole grooved or channelled on the upper surface. Young shoots densely clothed in short, reddish brown hairs.

Flowers cream to pale green, about 5 mm diam. Sepals about 2 mm long. Petals about 1-1.2 mm long. Stamens enveloped in the petals.

Fruits about 6-10 mm diam. Mesocarp not powdery at maturity.

Cotyledons about 8-10 mm long. First pair of leaves with entire margins. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade white on the underside from downy hairs; stipules conspicuous, about 5-8 mm long. Stem hairs short, matted, tortuous. Seed germination time 28 to 130 days.

Endemic to Queensland, occurs in CYP and NEQ. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 1200 m. Grows in well developed rain forest on a variety of sites.

Fruit eaten by Fig Parrots. Cooper & Cooper (1994).

Produces a useful general purpose timber.

Wood specific gravity 0.77. Cause et al. (1989).