Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants - Online edition

Mischocarpus grandissimus (F.Muell.) Radlk.


Tree
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Male flowers. © CSIRO
Habit, leaves and flowers. © CSIRO
Scale bar 10mm. © CSIRO
Cotyledon stage, hypogeal germination. © CSIRO
10th leaf stage. © CSIRO
Family

Radlkofer, L.A.T. (1879) Actes du Congres International de Botanistes .. Amsterdam for 1877 : 113.

Common name

False Maple; Giant Leaved Tamarind; Large Leaf Mischocarp; Maple, False; Tamarind, Giant Leaved

Stem

Seldom grows beyond 30 cm dbh.

Leaves

Leaflet blades rather large, about 20-40 x 10-16 cm, with a comparatively short leaflet stalk, swollen at its junction with the compound leaf rhachis. Leaf bearing twigs robust, more than 1 cm diameter, longitudinally grooved.

Flowers

Petals present or absent, about 1.25 x 0.8 mm. Stamens eight. Disk lobed, glabrous.

Fruit

Fruits glabrous, about 2.5-4 cm long (including the stipe) x 1.2-1.5 cm. Capsule glabrous inside except for the hairy septa. Seeds about 15-20 x 8-10 mm, aril enclosing most of the seed.

Seedlings

First pair of leaves ovate, apex acuminate. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf large, simple, blade about 16-30 cm long or compound with leaflet blades about 15-20 cm long. Seedling glabrous except for the terminal bud which is densely clothed in prostrate, brown hairs. Seed germination time 20 to 378 days.

Distribution and Ecology

Endemic to NEQ, widespread throughout the area. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 750 m. Grows as an understory tree in well developed lowland and upland rain forest.

Synonyms
Cupania grandissima (F.Muell.) F.Muell., Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae 9: 91(1875). Ratonia grandissima F.Muell., Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae 4: 156(1864), Type: Queensland, Rockingham Bay, 5 Sept. 1864, J. Dallachy; lecto: MEL, iso: MEL. Fide R. W. J. M. van der Ham, Blumea 23: 268 (1977).
RFK Code
263
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