Scolopia braunii (Klotzsch) Sleumer

Salicaceae

Sleumer, H.O. (1972) Blumea 20: 40.

Flintwood; Mountain Cherry; Brown Birch; Birch, Brown; Scolopia

Bark fibres sometimes interlocked, i.e. the fibre direction changing in different layers in the blaze. A thin cream layer generally visible beneath the subrhytidome before the first section of the outer blaze.

Leaf blades about 5-8 x 1.5-3.5 cm, obscurely 3-veined, the second pair of lateral veins being more obvious than the first pair. Margin of the leaf blade occasionally showing 1 or 2 lobes or large teeth. Petiole grooved on the upper surface.

Inflorescences about the same length as the leaves, but seldom exceeding them, racemes about 2-4 cm long, pedicels about 2-4 mm long. Sepals ovate, about 1-2.5 mm long, ciliate. Petals about 3 mm long, overlapping at the apex, but not touching laterally. Stamens about 50-60, filaments glabrous, about 3-4 mm long. Disk glands about 12-16, truncate, orange in colour.

Calyx persistent at the base of the fruit. Fruits obovoid-globose, about 11-13 mm long. Seeds angular, somewhat rugose, about 3-4 mm across. Cotyledons green, +/- orbicular, about 3 mm diam.

Cotyledons orbicular, about 8-10 mm diam. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade ovate, apex acuminate, base cuneate, with about 3-4 large blunt teeth along each side of the leaf blade, glabrous; stipules very small, inconspicuous, even with a lens. Stem clothed in very short erect hairs. Seed germination time 11 to 22 days.

Endemic to Australia, occurs in WA(?), CYP, NEQ, CEQ and southwards to south-eastern New South Wales. Altitudinal range from sea level to 1000 m. Grows in well developed rain forest on a variety of sites and also, drier rain forest subject to a marked dry season.

Food plant for the larval stages of the Australian Rustic and Eastern Flat Butterflies. Common & Waterhouse (1981).

Adenogyrus braunii Klotzsch, App. Ind. Sem. Hort. Bot. Berol. : 1(1854), Type: Origin unknown; cultivated Berlin, 1854; holo: B, iso: HBG ex herb. P. Magnus. (Fide Jessup 1982). Scolopia brownii F.Muell., Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae 3: 11(1862), Type: Ad flumen Hunters River; R. Brown; A.Scott. In silvis ad flumen Clarence; J. Wilcox.