Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants - Online edition

Bleasdalea bleasdalei (F.Muell.) A.C.Sm. & J.E.Haas


Tree
Click/tap on images to enlarge
Flowers. © CSIRO
Flowers. © Barry Jago
Leaves, flowers and buds. © CSIRO
Fruit and leaflets. © CSIRO
Fruit, side views and cross section. © W. T. Cooper
Leaves and inflorescence. © B. Gray
Scale bar 10mm. © CSIRO
10th leaf stage. © CSIRO
Cotyledon stage, hypogeal germination. © CSIRO
Cotyledons and 5 leaves. © CSIRO
Family

Smith, A.C. & Hass, J.E (1975) American Journal of Botany 62: 142.

Common name

Wingleaf Silky Oak; Oak, Blush Silky; Silky Oak; Blush Silky Oak

Stem

Oak grain in the wood and inner blaze. Coppice shoots often present at the butt.

Leaves

Part of the compound leaf axis normally expanded into green wings between the leaflet stalks. Oak grain in the twigs. Compound leaves rather variable, many leaflets being present on the compound leaves from small trees but few leaflets on those from large trees. Leaflet blades about 3-18 x 1.1-5.5 cm. Midrib raised on the upper surface of the leaflet blade. Stalk on the terminal leaflet frequently much shorter than those on the lateral leaflets. Young shoots red to pinkish brown, minutely but densely hairy.

Flowers

Inflorescence densely ferruginous pubescent. Flowers in pairs in the inflorescence, each flower +/- sessile, but pairs of flowers pedunculate. Tepals about 7.5-12 mm long, densely appressed-pubescent on the outside. Hypogynous glands two, globular. Ovules 2 per ovary.

Fruit

Fruits subglobose, about 22-25 x 16-18 mm with a groove or mark on one side. Exocarp very thin. Endocarp hard and horny. Seed about 15 mm diam.

Seedlings

First pair of leaves ovate to broadly ovate, about 10 x 5 cm, margins serrate. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade +/- trifoliolate or deeply 3-lobed or pinnate with 5 sessile leaflets and clothed in red hairs on the upper surface, at least when young. Margins serrate, lower surface clothed in brown appressed hairs and erect glandular hairs. Terminal bud densely clothed in ferruginous hairs. Seed germination time 15 to 61 days.

Distribution and Ecology

Endemic to Queensland, occurs in NEQ and CEQ. Altitudinal range from 650-1000 m. Grows as an understory tree in well developed upland and mountain rain forest.

Natural History & Notes

Not widely cultivated but has great potential. A very decorative tree that makes beautiful flushes of new growth.

Synonyms

Gevuina bleasdalei (F.Muell.) Sleumer, Blumea 8: 6 (1955). Roupala bleasdalei (F.Muell.) F.Muell., Second Systematic Census of Australian Plants : 68(1889). Adenostephanus bleasdalei (F.Muell.) Benth., Flora Australiensis 5: 417 (1870). Kermadecia bleasdalei (F.Muell.) F.M.Bailey, A Synopsis of the Queensland Flora : 434 (1883). Turrillia bleasdalei (F.Muell.) A.C.Sm., Flora Vitiensis Nova 3: 754 (1985). Euplassa bleasdalei (F.Muell.) Diels, Botanische Jahrbucher : 200(1916). Grevillea bleasdalei F.Muell., Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae 5: 90 (1865), Type: In cacumine montis McAllister Australiae tropicae. Dallachy.

RFK Code
29
Copyright © CSIRO 2020, all rights reserved.