Ackama australiensis
| Ackama australiensis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Flowering on the Lamb Range near Cairns | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Embryophytes |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Oxalidales |
| Family: | Cunoniaceae |
| Genus: | Ackama |
| Species: | A. australiensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Ackama australiensis | |
| Synonyms[3] | |
| |
Ackama australiensis, commonly known as rose alder, is a species of plant in the family Cunoniaceae. It is native to the Wet Tropics bioregion of Queensland, Australia.
Description
Ackama australiensis is a tree up to 24 m (79 ft) tall, with large buttresses and vertical lines of lenticels on the trunk. The leaves are imparipinnate with five leaflets, and they have both stipules and domatia. Small white flowers are produced on paniculate inflorescences and are about 1.5 mm (0.06 in) wide—White described them as being "sweetly scented". The fruit are capsules about 2 mm (0.08 in) diameter, seeds hairy.[4][5][6]
Distribution and habitat
It is endemic to eastern Queensland and extends from the MacIlwraith Range in Cape York Peninsula, south to about Eungella National Park, but with the bulk of the population occurring between Cooktown and Townsville.[7] It grows in wetter parts of rainforest (creeks and gullies) at altitudes from about 400–1,150 m (1,310–3,770 ft).[4]
Taxonomy
This species was originally described as Betchea australiensis in 1914, by botanist Rudolf Schlechter – his description was based on material collected in Rockingham Bay by John Dallachy.[8] In 1935 the new combination Ackama australiensis was published by Cyril Tenison White, who argued that Schlechter had no fruiting specimens of the plants and had therefore erred in his taxonomic assessment of the plant.[5]
Conservation
As of May 2026, this species has been assessed to be of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and by the Queensland Government under its Nature Conservation Act.[1][9]
Uses
The tree produces a durable hardwood timber which has been used as a cabinet timber.[4]
Gallery
Leaf detail showing domatia
Inflorescence detail, at bud stage
Open flowers
Ripe fruit
References
- 1 2 Louden, M. (2024). "Ackama australiensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2024 e.T220397398A239631581. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2024-1.RLTS.T220397398A239631581.en.
- ↑ "Ackama australiensis (Schltr.) C.T.White". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 8 May 2026.
- 1 2 "Ackama australiensis (Schltr.) C.T.White". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2026. Retrieved 8 May 2026.
- 1 2 3 F.A.Zich; B.P.M.Hyland; T.Whiffen; R.A.Kerrigan (2020). "Ackama australiensis (Schltr.) C.T.White". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants Edition 8 (RFK8). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government. Retrieved 8 May 2026.
- 1 2 White, C.T. (1936). "Contributions to the Queensland Flora, No. 5". The Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland. 47: 51–84.
- ↑ Bradford, J.C.; Fortune Hopkins, H.C.; Barnes, R.W. (2004). "Cunoniaceae". In Kubitzki, Klaus (ed.). Flowering Plants, Celastrales, Oxalidales, Rosales, Cornales, Ericales. The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants. Vol. 6. Berlin: Springer. pp. 91–111. doi:10.1007/978-3-662-07257-8. ISBN 978-3-642-05714-4.
- ↑ "Search: species: Ackama australiensis | Occurrence records". Australasian Virtual Herbarium. Australian Government. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
- ↑ SchlecHter, R. (1915). Engler, Adolf (ed.). "Die Cunoniaceae Papuasiens". Botanische Jahrbücher für Systematik, Pflanzengeschichte und Pflanzengeographie (in German and Latin). 52: 150.
- ↑ "Taxon - Ackama australiensis". WildNet. Queensland Government. 2026. Retrieved 8 May 2026.
External links
- Map of herbarium collections of this species at the Australasian Virtual Herbarium
- Observations of this species on iNaturalist
- Images of this species on Flickriver.com