Dysoxylum mollissimum subsp. molle
Encyclopedia
The Red Bean or Miva Mahogany is a rainforest
tree in the Mahogany
family. Dysoxylum mollissimum subsp. molle occurs in tropical, sub-tropical and littoral rainforest
s in eastern Australia
. Distributed from the Macleay River
in New South Wales
in the south, to Cooktown, tropical Queensland
in the north. The specific epithet mollissimum is from the Latin, meaning "very soft", describing the soft hairy leaflets. A signposted Red Bean tree may be seen near the carpark of Victoria Park Nature Reserve
in north eastern New South Wales
.
. Leaf stem swollen where joining the larger branch. Leaf venation is evident above and below, but raised and more noticeable below. Net veins easily seen. Veins creamy green, contrasting with the darker leaf colour.
s from January to July. The fruit is a fawnish brown capsule, around 2 cm in diameter. One reddish brown seed in each of the one to five cells. Ripening between November and March. The fruit is bird attracting. Fresh seed is advised for regeneration.
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
tree in the Mahogany
Meliaceae
The Meliaceae, or the Mahogany family, is a flowering plant family of mostly trees and shrubs in the order Sapindales....
family. Dysoxylum mollissimum subsp. molle occurs in tropical, sub-tropical and littoral rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
s in eastern Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Distributed from the Macleay River
Macleay River
The Macleay River is a major river on the Mid North Coast , Australia.The headwaters of the Macleay River rise as the Gara River on the eastern side of the Northern Tablelands near Armidale and Walcha, New South Wales. From here the Chandler River, Styx River and Apsley Rivers are important...
in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
in the south, to Cooktown, tropical Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
in the north. The specific epithet mollissimum is from the Latin, meaning "very soft", describing the soft hairy leaflets. A signposted Red Bean tree may be seen near the carpark of Victoria Park Nature Reserve
Victoria Park Nature Reserve
Victoria Park Nature Reserve is a 17.5 hectare sub tropical jungle remnant of the Big Scrub. Situated on an undulating high rainfall plain near Alstonville, New South Wales. The red-brown soil is derived from a basaltic flow from the nearby Mount Warning. 8 hectares of the reserve is original...
in north eastern New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
.
Description
A large and impressive tree, up to 35 metres tall and a trunk diameter of 120 cm. Usually buttressed or flanged at the base. The trunk is scaly and rough, grey or brown in colour. Freshly cut bark has an onion type scent.Leaves
Leaflets usually opposite on the stem, without serrations. Distinctly asymmetrical at the leaf base. Leaflets 6 to 15 cm long, 2 to 5 cm wide. Mid green above, paler below. Sometimes softly hairy under the leaf. True leaves are 30 to 60 cm long, pinnatePinnate
Pinnate is a term used to describe feather-like or multi-divided features arising from both sides of a common axis in plant or animal structures, and comes from the Latin word pinna meaning "feather", "wing", or "fin". A similar term is pectinate, which refers to a comb-like arrangement of parts...
. Leaf stem swollen where joining the larger branch. Leaf venation is evident above and below, but raised and more noticeable below. Net veins easily seen. Veins creamy green, contrasting with the darker leaf colour.
Flowers and fruit
White flowers form on paniclePanicle
A panicle is a compound raceme, a loose, much-branched indeterminate inflorescence with pedicellate flowers attached along the secondary branches; in other words, a branched cluster of flowers in which the branches are racemes....
s from January to July. The fruit is a fawnish brown capsule, around 2 cm in diameter. One reddish brown seed in each of the one to five cells. Ripening between November and March. The fruit is bird attracting. Fresh seed is advised for regeneration.