Carnarvonia araliifolia F.Muell. var. araliifolia

Mueller, F.J.H. von (1868) Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae 6: 81. Type: In silvis montium circum sinum Rockinghams Bay. J. Dallachy.

Oak, Caledonian; Oak, Red; Caledonian Oak; Caledonian Silky Oak; Red Oak; Oak, Caledonian Silky; Red Silky Oak; Oak, Red Silky

Oak grain in the wood and a corresponding dark pattern in the inner blaze. Lenticels usually numerous and closely spaced.

Oak grain in the twigs. Petiole of the compound leaf usually long, 7 cm or more, slender. Leaf variable, digitately compound on large trees but on small trees it is a combination of a digitate and pinnate leaf. Leaflet blades about 7-20 x 5-12 cm. Young shoots clothed in short pale brown or almost white hairs. Lateral veins forming loops well inside the blade margin.

Hairs on the pedicel cream to pale brown, +/- straight or slightly sinuate, predominantly prostrate with only a few hairs erect. Tepals about 3-6 mm long. Hypogynous glands nil. Ovules 2 per ovary. Ovary sessile.

Fruits about 3.6-5 x 1.5-2.1 cm, pedicel laterally attached. Seeds winged at one end.

Cotyledons obovate, hairy on the upper surface. First pair of leaves toothed and trifoliolate or deeply lobed emerging from the seed coat before the cotyledons. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade hairy on the upper surface.

Endemic to NEQ, widespread throughout the area. Altitudinal range from 50-1000 m. Grows in well developed rain forest on a variety of sites but probably reaches its best development on soils derived from basalt.

Fruits are often eaten by Sulphur crested cockatoos before fully ripe.

Produces a dark reddish, richly coloured timber which was used in house construction. The timber is quite hard wearing and was sometimes used for sanded and polished floors.

Wood specific gravity 0.69. Cause et al. (1989).