Amorphospermum antilogum F.Muell.

Mueller, F.J.H. von (1869) Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae 7: 113. Lectotype: "Thozet s.n. (MEL)."

Milky Plum; Silky Hornbeam; Plum Boxwood; Brown Pearwood; Boxwood, Plum; Plum, Milky

Seldom exceeding 30 cm dbh in northern Queensland. Exudate mainly in the inner blaze. Pale brown, brittle stripes in both the inner and outer blazes.

Petioles and twigs produce a milky exudate. Leaf blades about 5-12.5 x 1.7-5.8 cm. Younger leaf blades very shortly rusty hairy on the underside. Terminal buds and young shoots densely clothed in short, rusty brown hairs.

Flowers about 2.5-3 x 2 mm, in dense axillary fascicles. Ovary densely clothed in rusty brown hairs.

Fruits about 4-5.5 cm diam. Testa thick and hard. Hilum not very obvious, about 10 x 5 mm.

A number of cataphylls (4-7) are produced before the first true leaves. First true leaves oblanceolate-obovate, apex obtuse or bluntly pointed, base cuneate. Lower surface of the first pair of leaves densely clothed in appressed cream-coloured medifixed hairs. Tap root swollen, carrot-like (Daucus carota). Germination resembles that of Bunya Pine (Araucaria bidwilli). At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade narrow elliptic to oblanceolate, apex acute, base attenuate. Lower surface densely clothed in translucent, medifixed hairs with a sprinkling of darker, larger, medifixed hairs. Upper surface sparsely clothed in brownish, medifixed hairs. Terminal bud and young shoots densely clothed in coppery brown, medifixed hairs. Taproot thick and swollen. Seed germination time 186 days.

Occurs in CYP, NEQ, CEQ and southwards as far as north-eastern New South Wales. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 450 m. Grows in monsoon forest, beach forest and other seasonally dry vegetation types. Also occurs in New Guinea.

Sometimes grows large enough to produce millable logs.

Produces a useful general purpose timber.

Wood specific gravity 0.81. Cause et al. (1989).

Chrysophyllum antilogum (F.Muell.) Vink, Blumea 9: 65(1958). Lucuma amorphosperma F.M.Bailey, The Queensland Flora 3: 955(1900), Type: Queensland, Rockhampton, P. OShanesy; Mt Dryander, Kilner & Bowman; syn: MEL?. Lucuma antiloga (F.Muell.) F.M.Bailey, A Synopsis of the Queensland Flora : 296(1883). Sersalisia antiloga (F.Muell.) Domin, Bibliotheca Botanica 89(4): 1062(1928). Niemeyera antiloga (F.Muell.) T.D.Penn., The Genera of Sapotaceae : 235 (1991).