''Melicope hayesii'', commonly known as small-leaved doughwood, is a species of shrub or slender tree in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It has trifoliate leaves and small white flowers borne in

panicle A panicle is a much-branched inflorescence. (softcover ). Some authors distinguish it from a compound spike inflorescence, by requiring that the flowers (and fruit) be pedicellate (having a single stem per flower). The branches of a panicle are of ...

s in leaf axils.

Description

''Melicope hayesii'' is a shrub or slender tree that typically grows to a height of . It has trifoliate leaves arranged in opposite pairs on a petiole long. The leaflets are egg-shaped to elliptical, long and wide. The flowers are arranged in panicles long in leaf axils, the flowers

bisexual Bisexuality is a romantic or sexual attraction or behavior toward both males and females, or to more than one gender. It may also be defined to include romantic or sexual attraction to people regardless of their sex or gender identity, whi ...

with more or less round sepals about long and fused at the base. The

petal Petals are modified Leaf, leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often advertising coloration, brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''c ...

s are white, long and there are four

stamen The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filame ...

s. Flowering occurs from October to January and the fruit consists of up to four follicles about long and fused at the base, containing shiny black seeds.

Taxonomy

''Melicope hayesii'' was first formally described in 1990 by Thomas Gordon Hartley in the '' Telopea'' from specimens collected near Purling Brook,

Springbrook Springbrook may refer to: Places Australia * Springbrook, Queensland ** Springbrook National Park, Queensland ** Springbrook State School, a heritage-listed building in the park ** Springbrook Road, a heritage-listed road Canada * Springbrook, ...

. The

specific epithet In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

(''hayesii'') honours Harold C. Hayes, a Forestry Commission botanist.

Distribution and habitat

Small-leaved doughwood grows in, and near the edges of rainforest at altitudes of between and is found between the McPherson Range in south-east Queensland and the

Hastings River Hastings River ( Birpai: ''Doongang''), an open and trained intermediate wave dominated barrier estuary, is located in the Northern Tablelands and Mid North Coast districts of New South Wales, Australia. Course and features Hastings River rise ...

in north-eastern New South Wales.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q18083808 hayesii Sapindales of Australia Flora of Queensland Flora of New South Wales Plants described in 1990 Taxa named by Thomas Gordon Hartley