''Flindersia acuminata'', commonly known as silver silkwood, icewood, Putt's pine, Paddy King's beech or silver maple, is a species of tree that has

pinnate Pinnation (also called pennation) is the arrangement of feather-like or multi-divided features arising from both sides of a common axis. Pinnation occurs in biological morphology, in crystals, such as some forms of ice or metal crystals, an ...

leaves with between six and ten egg-shaped to elliptic leaflets, creamy yellow flowers arranged 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 In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is ...

s, and fruit studded with short, rough points.

Description

''Flindersia acuminata'' is a tree that typically grows to a height of and usually has pale brown bark and with its young shoots covered with small star-shaped hairs. Its leaves are pinnate, arranged alternately with between six and ten egg-shaped to elliptical leaflets mostly long and wide on

petiolules In botany, the petiole () is the stalk that attaches the leaf blade to the stem, and is able to twist the leaf to face the sun. This gives a characteristic foliage arrangement to the plant. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole in s ...

long. The flowers are arranged in panicles long. The flowers have five

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coined ...

s about long and five creamy yellow

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

s about long. Flowering occurs from November to January and the fruit is a woody capsule long studded with short, rough points, and separating into five at maturity, each section containing three winged seeds.

Taxonomy

''Flindersia acuminata'' was first formally described in 1919 by

Cyril Tenison White Cyril Tenison ("C.T.") White (17 August 1890 – 15 August 1950) was an Australian botanist. Early life White was born in Brisbane to Henry White, a trade broker, and Louisa ''nee'' Bailey. He attended school at South Brisbane State School, an ...

in the ''Botany Bulletin'' of the Queensland Department of Agriculture.

Distribution and habitat

Silver silkwood grows in rainforest at altitudes of from near Kuranda to Mission Beach in far north Queensland.

Conservation status

''Flindersia acuminata'' is classified as of "least concern" under the Queensland Government ''

Nature Conservation Act 1992 The ''Nature Conservation Act 1992'' is an act of the Parliament of Queensland, Australia, that, together with subordinate legislation, provides for the legislative protection of Queensland's threatened biota. As originally published, it prov ...

''.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15390858 acuminata Flora of Queensland Sapindales of Australia Trees of Australia Plants described in 1919 Taxa named by Cyril Tenison White