Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants - Online edition
Diploglottis smithii S.T.Reynolds
Reynolds, S.T. (1981) Austrobaileya 1(3): 393. Type: Cook District: Paronella Park, Mena Creek near Innisfail, Aug 1948, L.S. Smith s.n. (BRI, holotypus).
Tamarind, Wild; Smith's Tamarind; Tamarind; Tamarind, Smith's; Wild Tamarind
Sapwood surface corrugated. Blaze odour somewhat obnoxious like Poison Peach (Trema aspera).
Leaf bearing twigs longitudinally grooved. Leaflet blades quite large, about 12-24 x 6-8 cm or larger. Young shoots densely clothed in brown hairs. Leaflet stalk grooved on the upper surface and swollen at its junction with the compound leaf rhachis. Midrib slightly raised in a groove on the upper surface of the leaflet blade.
Seeds laterally compressed, about 13 x 10 mm, completely enveloped by the aril. Fruits +/- glabrous, very shortly tomentellous externally.
First pair of leaves elliptic, about 4-7 x 2-3 cm, lateral veins about 9-13 on each side of the midrib. Underside hairy on the midrib and lateral veins. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade usually simple, sometimes compound, leaf or leaflet blade elliptic, apex acuminate; upper surface of the leaf or leaflet blade with a few hairs along the midrib only; petiole, leaflet stalk, rhachis and compound leaf petiole hairy with short, dark brown hairs; terminal bud densely clothed in dark brown hairs. Seed germination time 14 to 28 days.
A small tree with attractive foliage and large green fruits with red arils. Performs well in cultivation.