Emmenosperma alphitonioides F.Muell.

Mueller, F.J.H. von (1862) Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae 3: 63. Type: Ad amnem Piri Creek; Dr. Ludw. Leichhardt. Ad flumen Clarence River; J. Wilcox. Ad montes Illawarrae; Sir W. Macarthur; A. Ralston.

Mountain Ash; Yellow Rosewood; Yellow Ash; Pink Ooline; Grey Ash; Dogwood; Bonewood; Ash, Yellow; Yellow Almond

Grows into a large, canopy tree. Living bark very bitter when chewed. Blaze bright yellow or yellowish brown. Bark often fissured and corky at the base of the stem, at the junction of the stem and lateral roots.

Leaf blades about 2.5-11.5 x 1.2-6.8 cm. Petiole grooved on the upper surface. Terminal buds clothed in brown or ginger hairs, but young shoots soon becoming smooth and glabrous.

Calyx about 2.5-3 mm long, the lobes about 1.5 mm long. Petals about 1.5 mm long. Anthers enveloped in the hood-like petals until anthesis. Staminal filaments green. Disk yellow, cupular, surrounding the ovary but +/- free from it except at the base. Ovary not immersed in the disk, 2-locular.

Fruits globose to obovoid, laterally compressed, about 10-11 mm diam. Capsules 2-celled with one seed in each cell. The capsules usually fall away leaving the red seeds exposed but still attached to the receptacle. Seeds about 5-6 x 4-5 mm. Cotyledons flat, about 3.5-3 mm. Radicle about 1 mm long.

Cotyledons +/- orbicular, about 10 mm diam., with five veins radiating from the petiole. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade glabrous, petiole with a few pale hairs; stipules small, triangular, +/- glabrous. Seed germination time 19 days.

Endemic to Australia, occurs in NEQ, CEQ and southwards to south-eastern New South Wales. Altitudinal range in NEQ from 500-1100 m. Grows in dry rain forest and well developed rain forest on a variety of sites.

An attractive tree with glossy leaves in a dense crown. It has potential for planting in parks and gardens. Masses of small white flowers are followed by orange fruits which split to reveal red seeds.

Produces a useful general purpose timber.

Wood specific gravity 0.86. Cause et al. (1989).