Zanthoxylum brachyacanthum
Encyclopedia
Zanthoxylum brachyacanthum, known as the Thorny Yellowwood or Satinwood, is an Australian rainforest
tree. The natural range is from the Clarence River
(29° S) in New South Wales
to Eungella National Park
(20° S)in tropical Queensland
.
This tree is in the family Rutaceae
, which is sometimes known as the "citrus family" because this family also contains all of the species (such as the orange
, lemon
, etc) in the genus Citrus
.http://www.montosogardens.com/rutaceae.htm, http://waynesword.palomar.edu/ecoph6.htm
This tree grows on a variety of subtropical, tropical and drier rainforests, often on volcanic soils. Young trees are easily identified in the rainforest by the thorny trunk and the dark green glossy leaves.
The leaves of Zanthoxylum brachyacanthum serve as a food plant for butterfly
larva
e including those of the Orchard Swallowtail Butterfly and the Fuscus Swallowtail.
s on young trees. Older trees appear more smooth barked. Trees are mostly not buttressed or flanged at the base.
The leaves are alternate and pinnate, with five to sixteen shiny leaflets. Leaflets are alternate, 4 to 9 cm long, egg shaped or oblong, usually toothed and with evident oil glands. The branchlets have prickles and are green or blue/green. The leaf scars are noticeable.
The flowers appear on panicles from October to November. They are pink or red, with a yellowish centre. The flowers are very attractive to insects because of their nectar.
The fruit matures from February to May, being a single cocci, bright red and shiny. It later changes color to a wrinkled dark brown, each fruit being 10 mm long. The cocci splits into two valves, with one black seed each, and are 6 mm long and shiny, attached by a membrane of a similar length. The seed germination is erratic.
. The timber is deep yellow and close grained, and thus it is suitable for decorative work.
The plant family contains some interesting alkaloids, coumarins, furano coumarins, and pryanocoumarins, ancetophenones such as Zantholoxylin, flavanoids like amurensin
, and polyhydroxol flavainoids, and Amides.
The essential (leaf) oil of Z. brachyacanthum was rich in α-pinene (46%), β-caryophyllene (14%) and bicyclogermacrene (12.5%).
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
tree. The natural range is from the Clarence River
Clarence River
Clarence River may refer to:* Clarence River , in northern New South Wales, Australia* Clarence River , rises in the Yukon Territory of Canada and crosses the border several times into the U.S. state of Alaska...
(29° S) 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...
to Eungella National Park
Eungella National Park
Eungella is a national park in Queensland, Australia, 80 km west of Mackay, and 858 km northwest of Brisbane. The original inhabitants are the Goreng goreng people. The park is covered by dense rainforest and is known for its platypuses.The national park was established in 1941 and is...
(20° S)in 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...
.
This tree is in the family Rutaceae
Rutaceae
Rutaceae, commonly known as the rue or citrus family, is a family of flowering plants, usually placed in the order Sapindales.Species of the family generally have flowers that divide into four or five parts, usually with strong scents...
, which is sometimes known as the "citrus family" because this family also contains all of the species (such as the orange
Orange (fruit)
An orange—specifically, the sweet orange—is the citrus Citrus × sinensis and its fruit. It is the most commonly grown tree fruit in the world....
, lemon
Lemon
The lemon is both a small evergreen tree native to Asia, and the tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit. The fruit is used for culinary and non-culinary purposes throughout the world – primarily for its juice, though the pulp and rind are also used, mainly in cooking and baking...
, etc) in the genus Citrus
Citrus
Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China...
.http://www.montosogardens.com/rutaceae.htm, http://waynesword.palomar.edu/ecoph6.htm
This tree grows on a variety of subtropical, tropical and drier rainforests, often on volcanic soils. Young trees are easily identified in the rainforest by the thorny trunk and the dark green glossy leaves.
The leaves of Zanthoxylum brachyacanthum serve as a food plant for butterfly
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e including those of the Orchard Swallowtail Butterfly and the Fuscus Swallowtail.
Description
This is a small tree, up to 15 metres tall and 35 cm around the trunk. The bark is grey, wrinkled and features sharp pointed lenticelLenticel
A lenticel is an airy aggregation of cells within the structural surfaces of the stems, roots, and other parts of vascular plants. It functions as a pore, providing a medium for the direct exchange of gasses between the internal tissues and atmosphere, thereby bypassing the periderm, which would...
s on young trees. Older trees appear more smooth barked. Trees are mostly not buttressed or flanged at the base.
The leaves are alternate and pinnate, with five to sixteen shiny leaflets. Leaflets are alternate, 4 to 9 cm long, egg shaped or oblong, usually toothed and with evident oil glands. The branchlets have prickles and are green or blue/green. The leaf scars are noticeable.
The flowers appear on panicles from October to November. They are pink or red, with a yellowish centre. The flowers are very attractive to insects because of their nectar.
The fruit matures from February to May, being a single cocci, bright red and shiny. It later changes color to a wrinkled dark brown, each fruit being 10 mm long. The cocci splits into two valves, with one black seed each, and are 6 mm long and shiny, attached by a membrane of a similar length. The seed germination is erratic.
Uses
This tree's small size, the interesting trunk, the attractive flowers and foliage makes the Thorny Yellowwood suitable as an ornamental plantOrnamental plant
Ornamental plants are plants that are grown for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design projects, as house plants, for cut flowers and specimen display...
. The timber is deep yellow and close grained, and thus it is suitable for decorative work.
The plant family contains some interesting alkaloids, coumarins, furano coumarins, and pryanocoumarins, ancetophenones such as Zantholoxylin, flavanoids like amurensin
Amurensin
Amurensin is a flavonol, a type of flavonoid. It is the tert-amyl alcohol derivative of kaempferol 7-O-glucoside. -Related compounds:6"'-O-acetyl amurensin is found in the leaves of Phellodendron japonicum....
, and polyhydroxol flavainoids, and Amides.
The essential (leaf) oil of Z. brachyacanthum was rich in α-pinene (46%), β-caryophyllene (14%) and bicyclogermacrene (12.5%).
External links
- Zanthoxylum brachyacanthum at PlantNET, NSW Flora online.
- Zanthoxylum brachyacanthum at the Australian National University's Australian Pollen and Spore Atlas.