Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants - Online edition

Cinnamomum baileyanum (F.Muell. ex F.M.Bailey) W.D.Francis


Tree
Click/tap on images to enlarge
Flower and buds. © CSIRO
Habit, leaves and flowers. © CSIRO
Scale bar 10mm. © CSIRO
Cotyledon stage, hypogeal germination. © CSIRO
10th leaf stage. © CSIRO
Family

Francis, W.D. (1951) Australian Rain-Forest Trees ed. 2 : 4.

Common name

Pepperwood; Candlewood; Bollywood; Bollywood, Brown; Brown Bollywood

Stem

Blaze odour conspicuous but precise odour difficult to pin-point; spice, pepper, cinnamon, sarsaparilla or Vicks Vaporub.

Leaves

Twigs 4-angled and clothed in straight, white or pale brown, appressed hairs when young but terete and glabrous at maturity. Leaf blades about 5-13 x 2-5.2 cm, green on the underside, clothed in straight, white or pale brown, appressed hairs when young but almost glabrous at maturity. Midrib +/- flush with the upper surface. Petioles channelled on the upper surface. Oil dots visible with a lens. Freshly broken twigs emit an odour like that of the blaze.

Flowers

Tepals about 4.5-5.3 mm long. Stamens nine (six opening inwards and three opening outwards). Staminodes three.

Fruit

Fruiting receptacle or cupule obviously lobed at the apex. Fruits about 18-20 x 10-13 mm when ripe.

Seedlings

At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade prominently 3-veined and slightly glaucous on the underside; oil dots small, visible with a lens. Seed germination time 16 to 21 days.

Distribution and Ecology

Endemic to Queensland, occurs in CYP, NEQ and south-eastern Queensland but not recorded in CEQ. Altitudinal range from sea level to 550 m. Grows in drier rain forest and mountain rain forest.

Natural History & Notes

Stem bark material of this species was active against some tumors. Collins et al. (1990).

Wood specific gravity 0.56-0.70. Hyland (1989).

Synonyms
Persea baileyana F.M.Bailey, A Synopsis of the Queensland Flora, Supplement 2 : 51(1888), Type: Frazers Island.-H. St. John Wood.
RFK Code
654
Copyright © CSIRO 2020, all rights reserved.