Common name: white cedar, chinaberry tree
Melia azedarach L. APNI* Synonyms: Melia azedarach var. australasica (A.Juss.) C.DC. APNI*
Melia toosendan Siebold & Zucc. APNI*
Description: Small to medium-sized deciduous tree with furrowed grey bark.
Leaves 12–45 cm long, mostly 2-pinnate with 3–5 pairs of pinnae; pinnules mostly 25–75, ovate to elliptic, 2.5–7 cm long, 10–30 mm wide, apex acuminate, base usually asymmetric, margins toothed to ± entire, glabrous or with scattered stellate hairs; petiole 5–15 cm long, lateral petiolules 1–8 mm long.
Panicles 10–20 cm long. Petals 10–12 mm long, mauve.
Drupe ± ellipsoid, 10–15 mm long, 8–10 mm diam., yellowish.
Flowering: spring.
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in subtropical and dry rainforest, mostly on margins and in regrowth, north from Milton and west to and inland to the upper Hunter Valley; widely cultivated, especially in inland districts, occasionally naturalized. Recorded as weedy on Lord Howe Island (Nov 2012).
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, *NWS, CWS, *LHI
Other Australian states: Qld W.A.
Text by M. J. Taylor & G. J. Harden; updated Louisa Murray (Nov 2012)
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 2 (1991)
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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