Sarcopteryx stipata

Steelwood
Sarcopteryx stipata - leaves
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Sapindales
Family:	Sapindaceae
Genus:	Sarcopteryx
Species:	S. stipata
Binomial name
Sarcopteryx stipata (F.Muell.) Radlk.

Sarcopteryx stipata, known as the steelwood is a rainforest tree of eastern Australia. Occurring from the Bulga Plateau and Comboyne Plateau north west of Taree, New South Wales. As far north as Fraser Island off the coast of south eastern Queensland. The habitat is sub tropical rainforest. Though it sometimes occurs in the warm temperate rainforests on poorer soils. A member of the soap berry family. The generic name Sarcopteryx translates to "fleshy wing", as the fruit can be wing shaped. The seed is surrounded in fleshy yellow aril. Stipata means "surrounded".^[1] Named steelwood as the timber is very tough, hard and heavy, with an interlocked grain.

Description

Usually seen as a small tree up to 10 metres in height. Though a 40 metre tall tree with a trunk diameter of 75 cm was recorded at Griers Scrub in Nightcap National Park.^[2] The base of larger trees is somewhat flanged. Bark is hard and grey in colour. Often marked with irregularities such as wrinkles, horizontal bands and bumps. Small branches are thick, longitudinally ridged, and with soft brown hairs. Brown hairs occur on many parts of the plant.

Leaves

Compound leaves are 9 to 18 cm long, containing six leaflets, though occasionally three to nine leaflets. Leaflets 4 to 10 cm long, 1.5 to 4 cm wide.^[3] Broad lanceolate in shape, narrowed at the base, and with a long fine leaf tip. The left and right side of the leaflets are unequal in proportion. Shiny green above, duller below with some brown hairs. The compound leaf stalk is brown and hairy, swollen where it joins the branchlet. Leaflet stalks are between 3 and 12 mm long. Leaf veins raised on both sides. Some lateral veins become wider and thicker where meeting the main mid rib of the leaf.

Flowers, fruit and germination

White or cream flowers appear from August to October on panicles, either at the end of the branchlets or from the axils of the leaves. Petals 2 mm long. The fruit is a red or pink capsule 13 mm in diameter. It has three or four angles, with three cells. Each cell contains one brown shiny cylindrical seed, 5 mm in diameter. Yellow aril completely covers the seed. The fruit matures in November and December. It is eaten by the green catbird and Lewin's honeyeater. Germination from fresh seed is slow but reliable. Removal of the yellow flesh from the seed is advised. After four months practically all seeds should germinate.

References