''Ceriops australis'', the yellow mangrove or smooth-fruited yellow mangrove, is a species of mangrove in the family Rhizophoraceae, native to tropical northern Australia and southern New Guinea. It is a common species in the region and although mangroves are threatened by habitat destruction and climate change, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of " least concern".

Description

''Ceriops australis'' is a small evergreen tree or shrub growing to a maximum height of about . The growth habit is columnar or multi-stemmed and it develops large buttress roots. The bark is silvery-grey to orangeish-brown, smooth with occasional

lenticel A lenticel is a porous tissue consisting of cells with large intercellular spaces in the periderm of the secondarily thickened organs and the bark of woody stems and roots of dicotyledonous flowering plants. It functions as a pore, providing a ...

s. The leaves are in opposite pairs, glossy yellowish-green above, obovate with entire margins, up to long and wide. The flowers are borne singly in the leaf axils; each has a short

calyx Calyx or calyce (plural "calyces"), from the Latin ''calix'' which itself comes from the Ancient Greek ''κάλυξ'' (''kálux'') meaning "husk" or "pod", may refer to: Biology * Calyx (anatomy), collective name for several cup-like structures ...

tube and parts in fives or sixes. The fruit is pear-shaped, suspended from the shrunken calyx tube. Brown at first, it changes colour as it matures and the hypocotyl emerges. The hypocotyl is long, slender and smooth, reaching a length of up to . This mangrove is viviparous, the propagule emerging from the end of the fruit, falling from the tree and developing into a new plant. It is very similar in appearance to '' Ceriops tagal'' and grows alongside it; previously thought to be the same species, it has now been shown to be genetically distinct. The difference between the two can be observed when the tree is fruiting, ''C. tagal'' having ribbed hypocotyls while those of ''C. australis'' are smooth.

Distribution and habitat

In tropical northern Australia, ''C. australis'' is the dominant mangrove in estuarine habitats, its range extending from Exmouth in Western Australia to the southern end of Moreton Bay in Queensland. Its status in New Guinea is less clear, because of the confusion in the past with ''C. tagal''. It does not tolerate strong wave action, high winds or strong currents, but prefers drier sites, with high salinities on the landward side of the coastal mangrove strip and bordering

salt pans Salt pans can refer to: * Salt pan (geology), a flat expanse of ground covered with salt and other minerals, usually found in deserts ** Sabkha, a phonetic translation of the Arabic word for a salt pan (geology) * Salt evaporation pond, a method o ...

Uses

Indigenous Australians have traditionally used this tree to make sticks for digging and throwing, and for spear shafts. An infusion of the inner bark has been used to treat skin problems, and the outer bark as a dye and for tanning. The larvae of the moth '' Syntherata janetta'' feed on the foliage.

Gallery

Ceriops australis viviparous seedlings, Nudgee Creek, Nudgee Beach Bramble Bay Queensland IMGP0940.jpg, Viviparous seedlings Ceriops australis 47792508.jpg, flowering Ceriops australis shrubland Nudgee Creek Nudgee Beach Bramble Bay Queensland P1280502.jpg, Extensive stand, Nudgee Creek, Queensland

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q15388606 Rhizophoraceae Mangroves Flora of Australia