Quintinia sieberi
Encyclopedia
Quintinia sieberi known as the Possumwood
is a rainforest tree of eastern Australia
. It's mostly found in rainforests at high altitude. The range of natural distribution is between the Clyde River, New South Wales (35° S) and the McPherson Range
(28° S) just over the border in the state of Queensland
.
The trunk is somewhat buttressed at the base, with a corky reddish brown bark. Leaves are alternate, not toothed, in the shape of an ellipse. 7 to 12 cm long with a short point. The underside of the leaf features tiny red dots. Leaf veins seen on both surfaces. The mid vein is depressed on the upper surface and raised on the underside.
White flowers form on panicles between the months of October and November. The fruit is a grey brown capsule, 3 mm in diameter with three to five cells within. Several seeds grow within each cell. Fruiting matures from December to January.
on the trunks of rocks and tree ferns such as Dicksonia antarctica
. These seedlings can be eaten by the swamp wallaby
if on the forest floor, (as seen on Mount Dromedary). As the roots of the germinating seeds are so small, care needs to be given to provide adequate moisture and protection from being buried or exposed. The seeds are tiny and seed regeneration requires a satisfactory substrate. It's advised to lightly cover the seeds with a seed raising potting mix.
Possumwood
Possumwood may refer to various trees:* Diospyros virginiana , in warm-temperate North America* Hura crepitans , in the tropical Americas* Quintinia sieberi a rainforest tree of eastern Australia...
is a rainforest tree of eastern Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It's mostly found in rainforests at high altitude. The range of natural distribution is between the Clyde River, New South Wales (35° S) and the McPherson Range
McPherson Range
The McPherson Range is an extensive mountain range, a spur of the Great Dividing Range, heading in an easterly direction from near Wallangarra to the Pacific Ocean coastline. It forms part of the Scenic Rim on the border between the states of New South Wales and Queensland. Further west of the...
(28° S) just over the border in the state of 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...
.
Description
A medium sized tree to 25 metres tall and a stem diameter of 75 cm.The trunk is somewhat buttressed at the base, with a corky reddish brown bark. Leaves are alternate, not toothed, in the shape of an ellipse. 7 to 12 cm long with a short point. The underside of the leaf features tiny red dots. Leaf veins seen on both surfaces. The mid vein is depressed on the upper surface and raised on the underside.
White flowers form on panicles between the months of October and November. The fruit is a grey brown capsule, 3 mm in diameter with three to five cells within. Several seeds grow within each cell. Fruiting matures from December to January.
Germination
Wind blown seeds often germinate in the form of a hemiepiphyteHemiepiphyte
A hemiepiphyte is a plant which begins its life as an epiphyte but which later grows roots down into the ground. The seeds of hemiepiphytes germinate in the canopy and initially live epiphytically...
on the trunks of rocks and tree ferns such as Dicksonia antarctica
Dicksonia antarctica
Dicksonia antarctica, known as the Soft Tree Fern, Man Fern or Tasmanian Tree Fern, is an evergreen tree fern native to parts of Australia, namely south-east Queensland, coastal New South Wales and Victoria and Tasmania.- Anatomy and biology :...
. These seedlings can be eaten by the swamp wallaby
Swamp Wallaby
The Swamp Wallaby is a small macropod marsupial of eastern Australia. This wallaby is also commonly known as the Black Wallaby, with other names including Black-tailed Wallaby, Fern Wallaby, Black Pademelon, Stinker , and Black Stinker...
if on the forest floor, (as seen on Mount Dromedary). As the roots of the germinating seeds are so small, care needs to be given to provide adequate moisture and protection from being buried or exposed. The seeds are tiny and seed regeneration requires a satisfactory substrate. It's advised to lightly cover the seeds with a seed raising potting mix.