Choricarpia subargentea
Encyclopedia
Choricarpia subargentea is a rare Australian rainforest
tree, growing near Mullumbimby in north eastern New South Wales
. And from Boonah to Imbil in south eastern Queensland
.
Common names include Giant Ironwood, Ironwood Box, Scrub Ironwood and Lancewood. The New South Wales habitat of Choricarpia subargentea is dry rainforest thickets on hillsides near Mullumbimby. Growing in association with the Shatterwood and Wild Quince
.
The trunk is often multi-stemmed and crooked, not cylindrical in cross section with some buttressing at the base.
The trunk can can be smooth and glossy, of an attractive orange/brown or pinkish/mauve colour. Or green where bark has recently been shed. Other times, the bark sheds irregularly resulting in a mottled trunk, similar to the Spotted Gum
and the Leopardwood.
The leaves are opposite, simple and entire. Lanceolate or broad with a fine leaf tip. Around 4 to 8 cm long. Glossy dark green above, and greyish fawn below. Crushed leaves have a familiar eucalyptus scent. (Both plants being dry fruited myrtle
s). Oil dots evident when viewed with a magnifying glass. The midrib and lateral leaf venation is only visible on the top surface. An intramarginal vein surrounds the leaf, about 2 mm from the edge. Leaf stalks 5 to 10 mm long, with scaly matter on the stalk.
Flowers are white, densely together in globular heads, 5 to 8 mm long. Appearing in April. The fruit matures around six months later, being a small dry capsule. 5 mm in diameter on a stalk 6 to 10 mm long.
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
tree, growing near Mullumbimby in north eastern New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. And from Boonah to Imbil in south eastern Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
.
Common names include Giant Ironwood, Ironwood Box, Scrub Ironwood and Lancewood. The New South Wales habitat of Choricarpia subargentea is dry rainforest thickets on hillsides near Mullumbimby. Growing in association with the Shatterwood and Wild Quince
Guioa semiglauca
Guioa semiglauca known as the Guioa or Wild Quince is a rainforest tree of eastern Australia. It grows from Kioloa near Batemans Bay in southern New South Wales to Eungella National Park in tropical Queensland...
.
Description
Choricarpia subargentea is a small tree to medium tree, occasionally reaching 30 metres in height. However, it is much smaller in New South Wales, reaching only 8 metres high and with a stem diameter of 20 cm.The trunk is often multi-stemmed and crooked, not cylindrical in cross section with some buttressing at the base.
The trunk can can be smooth and glossy, of an attractive orange/brown or pinkish/mauve colour. Or green where bark has recently been shed. Other times, the bark sheds irregularly resulting in a mottled trunk, similar to the Spotted Gum
Corymbia maculata
Corymbia maculata , commonly known as Spotted Gum, is an endemic Australian tree.-Description:Spotted Gum is a medium to tall tree with a straight trunk, growing up to 70 metres in height. However, there is an old reference to a 91 metre tall tree...
and the Leopardwood.
The leaves are opposite, simple and entire. Lanceolate or broad with a fine leaf tip. Around 4 to 8 cm long. Glossy dark green above, and greyish fawn below. Crushed leaves have a familiar eucalyptus scent. (Both plants being dry fruited myrtle
Myrtaceae
The Myrtaceae or Myrtle family are a family of dicotyledon plants, placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, clove, guava, feijoa, allspice, and eucalyptus belong here. All species are woody, with essential oils, and flower parts in multiples of four or five...
s). Oil dots evident when viewed with a magnifying glass. The midrib and lateral leaf venation is only visible on the top surface. An intramarginal vein surrounds the leaf, about 2 mm from the edge. Leaf stalks 5 to 10 mm long, with scaly matter on the stalk.
Flowers are white, densely together in globular heads, 5 to 8 mm long. Appearing in April. The fruit matures around six months later, being a small dry capsule. 5 mm in diameter on a stalk 6 to 10 mm long.