Common name: Giant Ironwood, Ironwood Box
Backhousia subargentea (C.T.White) M.G.Harr. APNI* Synonyms: Choricarpia subargentea (C.T.White) L.A.S.Johnson APNI*
Description: Tree to c. 8m in N.S.W. Bark smooth, orange to brown, shedding in thin scales. Young shoots and inflorescences faintly to distinctly rusty-tomentose.
Leaves with lamina elliptic to ovate, 5–11 cm long, 2–4 cm wide, apex acute or acuminate, margins entire to minutely crenate, upper surface green and glossy, lower surface paler and usually silvery; oil glands very numerous, prominent; petiole 4–8 mm long.
Peduncles 4–10 mm long. Flowers cream. Petals absent. Stamens 2–4 mm long, tomentose.
Infructescence c. 6 mm diam.; individual fruits c. 2 mm long, fused at the base.
Flowering: August to October.
Distribution and occurrence: Uncommon in N.S.W.; only known from near Mullumbimby. Usually forms dense thickets in regrowth in dry rainforest.
NSW subdivisions: NC
Other Australian states: Qld
Threatened species: NSW BCA: Endangered
Text by Peter G. Wilson
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 2 (1991); updated according to Harrington et al. (2012)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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