Mallotus paniculatus (Lam.) Mull.Arg.

Mueller Argoviensis, J. (1865) Linnaea 34: 189. Type: Java, Commerson; holo: P-JU 16579. Fide Forster (1999).

Turn in the Wind; Turn-in-the-wind

A small tree generally less than 25 cm dbh.

Small oil dots visible with a lens. Petiole long. Two flat glands on the upper surface of the leaf blade at its junction with the petiole, one on each side of the midrib. Numerous small stellate hairs visible on the underside of the leaf blade with the aid of a lens. Leaf blades about 8-19 x 5.5-12 cm. Twig pith producing very little exudate.

Floral bracts shorter than the flowers at anthesis. Flowers about 2-3 mm diam. Outer surface of the tepals densely clothed in stellate hairs. Ovary densely stellate hairy and echinate but without coloured glands, the setae or trichomes stellate hairy.

Capsules echinate and densely stellate hairy, the trichomes also stellate hairy. Seeds +/- globular, about 2-2.5 mm diam.

Cotyledons elliptic or ovate, about 7-10 mm long, hairy on the upper surface. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade broadly ovate or triangular, apex acuminate, base obtuse, upper surface with a few hairs remaining along the midrib, undersurface densely clothed in white stellate hairs; very small pale yellow glands also visible on the underside of the leaf blade; petioles and terminal bud densely clothed in short simple and stellate hairs.

Occurs in CYP, NEQ and CEQ. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 800 m. This species is favoured by disturbance and is a typical regrowth species in lowland and upland rain forest. Also occurs in Asia and Malesia.

This species may have medicinal properties.