''Alectryon oleifolius'', commonly known as boonaree, inland rosewood or bullock bush ( South Australia), is a species of small tree of the soapberry family

Sapindaceae The Sapindaceae are a family of flowering plants in the order Sapindales known as the soapberry family. It contains 138 genera and 1858 accepted species. Examples include horse chestnut, maples, ackee and lychee. The Sapindaceae occur in tempera ...

, native to Australia.

Taxonomy

The French botanist René Louiche Desfontaines described the bonaree in 1818 as ''Heterodendrum oleifolium'', and it was reclassified in the genus '' Alectryon'' in 1987. The species name is derived from the resemblance of its leaves to those of an olive tree. It is known by a variety of common names, including western rosewood, inland rosewood, bullock bush, cattle bush, jiggo, boonery, boneree, bush minga, applebush, and red heart. Three subspecies are recognised: subspecies ''elongatus'' is a taller plant with greener longer leaves found in more easterly parts of western New South Wales. It grows on heavier soils. Subspecies ''canescens'' has greyer foliage and is found on limestone-sand soils and is more prone to suckering. Subspecies ''oleifolius'' is found in the more northern parts of Western Australia. Alectryon oleifolius foliage

Description

''Alectryon oleifolius'' grows as a large shrub to medium-size tree to 9 m (30 ft) high, with drooping branches. The trunk has deeply furrowed grey to brown bark. The stiff long narrow leaves are greyish green and measure 3.5–14 cm long and 0.6–1.2 mm wide.

Distribution and habitat

The range is across all states of inland Australia. In New South Wales it is found throughout the dryer parts of interior and west of the state, most commonly on sandy soils with limestone associated with belah ('' Casuarina cristata'').

Ecology and toxicity

''Alectryon oleifolius'' sheds leaves, more commonly over the summer months. Although palatable and formerly lopped for drought fodder, ''Alectryon oleifolius'' is toxic to livestock (particularly ruminants), as it contains cyanogenic glycosides which are converted to

hydrogen cyanide Hydrogen cyanide, sometimes called prussic acid, is a chemical compound with the formula HCN and structure . It is a colorless, extremely poisonous, and flammable liquid that boils slightly above room temperature, at . HCN is produced on an ...

when digested. Poisoning is much more likely to occur with starving stock, and when new growth is consumed. At other times, the foliage has been eaten without ill-effects. Some populations of ''Alectryon oleifolius'' reproduce by suckering, forming small stands of clonal plants.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q4714316 oleifolius Flora of Queensland Flora of New South Wales Rosids of Western Australia Plants described in 1818 Taxa named by René Louiche Desfontaines