Dysoxylum parasiticum

Dysoxylum parasiticum, known as yellow mahogany, is a species of rainforest trees in the family Meliaceae. The specific epithet parasiticum is from the Latin meaning "parasitic", referring to the idea (now known to be incorrect) that the flowers are parasitic on another tree species.[3]

Dysoxylum parasiticum
Fruiting small tree, Mossman Gorge, Queensland, 26 Oct 2014
Small tree close-up with cauline, developing fruit capsules, Mossman Gorge, Queensland, 26 Oct 2014
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Meliaceae
Genus: Dysoxylum
Species:
D. parasiticum
Binomial name
Dysoxylum parasiticum
Synonyms[1][2]

Taxonomy and naming

Swedish naturalist Pehr Osbeck described this species as Melia parasitica in 1751, before it was transferred to the genus Dysoxylum by Indonesian botanist André Joseph Guillaume Henri Kostermans in 1966.[4] Australian populations were known as Dysoxylum schiffneri.[5]

The Bajau people of Sabah know it as jarum-jarum,[3] while it is commonly known as yellow mahogany in Queensland.[4]

Description

Dysoxylum parasiticum trees grow up to 36 metres (120 ft) tall with a trunk that has a diameter of up to 60 centimetres (24 in) and up to 1.5-metre (5 ft) buttresses.[6] The smooth bark is yellowish to grey-brown. The sweetly scented flowers are white or creamish-coloured. The red-brown fruits are roundish, and up to 4 cm (1.6 in) in diameter.[3] Both flowers and fruits grow directly off the trunk (cauliflory) to near ground level, or off the large branches (ramiflory).[4][7]

Distribution and habitat

Dysoxylum parasiticum trees grow naturally in Taiwan and throughout Malesia, to New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Queensland.[3][4][6][7][8][9] Their habitat is rainforest from sea-level to 2,100 metres (7,000 ft) altitude.[3] In Queensland they are found from sea level to 1,400 metres (5,000 ft), in such areas in the northeast as Mount Bellenden Ker.[5]

Uses

Dysoxylum parasiticum has potential as a feature tree in parks or gardens in areas with subtropical or tropical climates. It prefers acid soils with good drainage and dappled sun or part-shade. The species can be propagated by fresh seed.[5]

References
  1. "Dysoxylum parasiticum (Osbeck) Kosterm.". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  2. "Dysoxylum parasiticum (Osbeck) Kosterm". The Plant List. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
  3. Mabberley, David J.; Sing, Anne M. (March 2007). "Dysoxylum parasiticum (Osbeck) Kosterm.". In Soepadmo, E.; Saw, L. G.; Chung, R. C. K.; Kiew, Ruth (eds.). Tree Flora of Sabah and Sarawak. (free online from the publisher, lesser resolution scan PDF versions). 6. Forest Research Institute Malaysia. pp. 173–174. ISBN 978-983-2181-89-7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
  4. Hyland, B. P. M.; Whiffin, T.; Zich, F. A.; et al. (Dec 2010). "Factsheet – Dysoxylum parasiticum". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants (6.1, online version RFK 6.1 ed.). Cairns, Australia: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), through its Division of Plant Industry; the Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research; the Australian Tropical Herbarium, James Cook University. Retrieved 14 Mar 2014.
  5. Elliot, Rodger W.; Jones, David L.; Blake, Trevor (1984). Encyclopaedia of Australian Plants Suitable for Cultivation: Volume 3 - Ce-Er. Port Melbourne, Victoria: Lothian Press. p. 377. ISBN 0-85091-167-2.
  6. Mabberley, David J.; Pannel, C. M.; Sing, A. M. (1995). "Dysoxylum parasiticum". Flora Malesiana (Digitised, online, via biodiversitylibrary.org). Series I, Spermatophyta : Flowering Plants. Vol. 12 pt. 1: Meliaceae. Leiden, The Netherlands: Rijksherbarium / Hortus Botanicus, Leiden University. pp. 76–81. ISBN 90-71236-26-9. Retrieved 15 Mar 2014.
  7. Cooper, Wendy; Cooper, William T. (June 2004). "Dysoxylum parasiticum (Osbeck) Kosterm.". Fruits of the Australian Tropical Rainforest. Clifton Hill, Victoria, Australia: Nokomis Editions. p. 290. ISBN 9780958174213. Archived from the original on 9 April 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  8. Peng, Hua; Mabberley, David J. (2008). Wu, Z. Y.; Raven, P. H. (eds.). "Dysoxylum parasiticum". Flora of China. Online version (print version). eFloras.org. Beijing and St. Louis, MO: Science Press and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  9. Conn, Barry J.; Damas, Kipiro Q. (2006). "PNGTreesKey – Dysoxylum parasiticum (Osbeck) Kosterm" (Online, from pngplants.org/PNGtrees). Guide to Trees of Papua New Guinea. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
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