Syzygium claviflorum (Roxb.) Wall. ex Steud.

Myrtaceae

Steudel, E.G. von (1841) Nomenclator Botanicus Edn. 2 2: 657.

Grey Satinash; Satinash, Grey; Satinash, Trumpet; Trumpet Satinash; Watergum

Outer bark often rather pale.

Midrib depressed on the upper surface of the leaf blade and petiole grooved on the upper surface. Leaf blades about 6.5-13.2 x 2.9-5.8 cm. Oil dots appear quite variable in size when viewed with a lens. About 16-37 lateral veins on each side of the midrib.

Inflorescence bracts deciduous, absent at anthesis. Calyx tube (hypanthium) + pedicel about 10-20 mm long, calyx tube (hypanthium) about 2-5 mm diam., calyx lobes about 4-5, +/- rounded, small and inconspicuous, seldom exceeding 0.5 mm in length. Petals 6-8, +/- orbicular, attaining about 2-3 mm diam., +/- cohering, largely as a result of the apices of all petals being folded into a cylinder at the centre, between the staminal filaments. Oil dots about 20-30 per larger petal. Outer staminal filaments about 3-8 mm long, anthers about 0.8 x 0.5 mm, gland terminal, reasonably conspicuous. About 9-16 ovules per locule. Style rather stout, about 3-8 mm long, approximating or slightly exceeding the stamens.

Fruit shape variable, cylindrical, turbinate or pyriform, often galled and irregular, excavated at the apex, attaining about 11-14 x 9-10 mm; calyx lobes not obvious, pericarp succulent, cells radiating from the endocarp to the exocarp. Seed about 7-8 x 7-8 mm, testa apparently absent.

Cataphylls about 3 pairs before the first pair of true leaves and sometimes between the leaves at later stages. At the tenth leaf stage: twigs conspicuously 4-angled or shortly winged, leaf blade lanceolate or ovate, apex acuminate or acute, base cuneate; oil dots numerous, clearly visible with a lens or just visible to the naked eye. Seed germination time 38 to 95 days.

Occurs in NT, CYP, NEQ and CEQ. Altitudinal range from sea level to 800 m. Grows in well developed gallery forest, lowland and upland rain forest on a variety of sites. Also occurs in Asia and Malesia.

This species produces a useful structural timber which is marketed as Grey Satinash.

Wood specific gravity 0.72-0.88. Hyland (1983).

Acmenosperma claviflorum (Roxb.) Kausel, Arkiv fur Botanik ser. 2 3: 609(1957). Eugenia claviflora Roxb., Flora India 2: 488(1832), Type: No specimen cited. Neotype: Wight, Ic. 2: 15, t. 528 (1842). Syzygium leptanthum (Wight) Nied., Nat. Pflanzenfam. 3: 85(1893). Syzygium leptanthus Nied., Die Naturlichen Pflanzenfamilien 3(7) : 85(1893). Eugenia leptantha Wight, Ill. 2: 15(1841). Eugenia leptalea Craib, Fl. Siam Enum. 1: 649(1931). Eugenia claviflora var. leptalea (Craib) M.R.Hend., Gard. Bull. Sing. 12: 255(1949).