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''Dysoxylum rufum'' is a rainforest tree in the family Meliaceae, found in eastern
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...
. It occurs on a variety of different soils and rainforest types. From as far south as Bulahdelah
Bulahdelah is a town and locality in the Hunter/Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia in the Mid-Coast Council local government area. At the 2016 census, the locality had a population of 1,424. The main population centre, wher ...
, New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
to the McIlwraith Range
The McIlwraith Range is a rugged, dissected granite plateau on Cape York Peninsula of Far North Queensland, Australia. Part of the Great Dividing Range, the McIlwraith Range covers about and lies about east of the town of Coen, and north o ...
in far north eastern Australia. The specific epithet ''rufum'' refers to the rusty red of the leaf, fruit and flower hairs of this species.
Common names
''Dysoxylum rufum'' is known variously by the common names Australian mahogany, bastard pencil cedar, false rosewood, hairy rosewood, rusty mahogany, red bean, red heart, and rusty bean.Description
Usually a small to medium-sized tree. Though it reaches 40 metres tall with a stem diameter of 90 cm at Murray Scrub.Leaves
Leaflets are nearly opposite on the stem, without serrations. Asymmetrical at the leaf base. Leaflets 5 to 17 cm long.Lanceolate
The following is a list of terms which are used to describe leaf plant morphology, morphology in the description and taxonomy (biology), taxonomy of plants. Leaves may be simple (a single leaf blade or lamina) or compound (with several leaflet (bo ...
to broad lanceolate in shape with a fine point at the leaf tip. Unusually, the leaflets are a dull green above the leaf, and a brighter green below. Hairy under the leaf. Leaflet stalks 2 to 3 mm long, but much longer for the terminal leaflet, where it is up to 25 mm long. The compound leaf contains around 19 leaflets. With a stalk 4 to 10 cm long.
Flowers, fruit and regeneration
Pleasantly scented white flowers form on panicles from December to February. The panicles form from the leafaxil
A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, ste ...
s. And when mature, the flower scent becomes less pleasant. The flower 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 ...
is hairy.
The fruit is a round yellowish capsule, around 2 cm in diameter, mostly five-valved. Also covered with hairs which can irritate the skin. Seeds inside the capsule are cream, irregular in shape, and about 5 mm in diameter. Fruit ripens from April to December. Regeneration from fresh seed is relatively swift and reliable, taking as little as three weeks. After eight weeks, germination should be complete with good results.
Timber
Onion scented wood. Mostly white with a red heartwood core which resembles the relatedRed Bean
Red bean is a common name for several plants and may refer to:
* Adzuki bean (''Vigna angularis''), commonly used in Japanese, Korean, and Chinese cuisine, particularly as red bean paste
Red bean paste () or red bean jam, also called adzuki ...
. Timber is vulnerable to attack from the lyctus
Lyctus or Lyttos ( Greek: or ), was one of the most considerable cities in ancient Crete, which appears in the Homeric catalogue. Lyttos is now a village in the municipality of Minoa Pediada.
Lyctus in mythology
According to Hesiod, ''Theogon ...
borer.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5319533 rufum Plants described in 1834 Flora of New South Wales Flora of Queensland Trees of Australia Sapindales of Australia