Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants - Online edition

Clausena excavata Burm.f.


Shrub (woody or herbaceous, 1-6 m tall)
Tree
Click/tap on images to enlarge
Flowers. © Northern Territory Herbarium
Flowers. © Northern Territory Herbarium
Flower. © Australian National Botanic Gardens
Flowers. © Australian National Botanic Gardens
Leaf and inflorescence. © Australian National Botanic Gardens
Fruit. © Australian National Botanic Gardens
Leaves and fruit. © Australian National Botanic Gardens
Habit, leaves and inflorescence. © Northern Territory Herbarium
Habit. © Australian National Botanic Gardens
Family

Burman, N.L. (1768) Flora Indica: 87, t. 29, fig. 2. Type: Java.

Stem

Shrub or small tree to 10 m; branchlets pubescent hairy.

Leaves

Leaves with 13-31 leaflets, aromatic (curry spice) when crushed; rachis 20-40 cm long, pubescent; leaflets ovate to ovate-lanceolate, unequal-sided, strongly oblique, weakly crenate, apex acuminate; lamina 2-9 cm long,1-3 cm wide; petiolules 2-5 mm long. Transluscent oil glands numerous, conspicuous.

Flowers

Inflorescence terminal, occasionally axillary, paniculate, pubescent, 10-20 cm long. Flowers 4 mm across. Calyx usually 4-lobed. Petals white or pale yellowish white, usually 4, ovate to obovate to oblong; 3-5 mm long x 1-2 mm wide, acute. Stamens usually 8. Ovary entire, glandular and hairy; style ca. 1 mm long.

Fruit

Fruit ellipsoidal, 1.2-1.8 cm long, 0.8-1.5 cm diameter, with persistent style, glabrous, transluscent pink to red. Seeds 1 or 2.

Seedlings

Features not available.

Distribution and Ecology

Occurs in NT where it is currently only known from the Daly River area. Also occurs on Christmas Island where it is considered naturalised. In NT grows on the margins of dry vine thickets around limestone outcrops. Also occurs in from India, to southern China and throughout South East Asia to New Guinea and the Philippines.

Synonyms
Clausena sp. Tipperary (G.J.Leach 2152), [Provisional Phrase Name].
RFK Code
1288
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