''Flindersia xanthoxyla'', commonly known as yellowwood, long jack or yellowwood ash, is a species of rainforest tree that is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

to eastern Australia. It has

pinnate Pinnation (also called pennation) is the arrangement of feather-like or multi-divided features arising from both sides of a common axis. Pinnation occurs in biological morphology, in crystals, such as some forms of ice or metal crystals, an ...

leaves arranged in opposite pairs with seven to eleven leaflets,

panicle A panicle is a much-branched inflorescence. (softcover ). Some authors distinguish it from a compound spike inflorescence, by requiring that the flowers (and fruit) be pedicellate (having a single stem per flower). The branches of a panicle are of ...

s of yellow flowers and woody fruit studded with rough points on the surface.

Description

''Flindersia xanthoxyla'' is a tree that typically grows to a height of with a trunk diameter of . The trunk is cylindrical and straight with grey or brownish grey bark. The bark features vertical fissures, and is shed in small flakes. The smaller branches show distinct leaf scars, with star-shaped hairs on new growth. The leaves are pinnate, long and arranged in opposite pairs with seven to eleven egg-shaped to elliptical leaflets. The leaflets are mostly long and wide, the side leaflets sessile or on a petiolule up to long and the end leaflet on a petiolule long. The leaflets are bright green above, paler below. The flowers are arranged in panicles in leaf

axil A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, ste ...

s or on the ends of branchlets and are long. The

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coine ...

s are about long and the

petal Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''corolla''. Petals are usuall ...

s yellow or pale yellow, long. Flowering occurs from October to February and the fruit is a woody capsule long, studded with rough points up to long. At maturity it separates into five valves, releasing winged seeds long.

Taxonomy

Yellowwood was first formally described in 1830 by Charles Fraser from an unpublished manuscript by Allan Cunningham who gave it the name ''Oxleya xanthoxyla''. The description was published in

William Jackson Hooker Sir William Jackson Hooker (6 July 178512 August 1865) was an English botanist and botanical illustrator, who became the first director of Kew when in 1841 it was recommended to be placed under state ownership as a botanic garden. At Kew h ...

's '' Botanical Miscellany''. In 1927

Karel Domin Karel Domin (4 May 1882, Kutná Hora, Kingdom of Bohemia – 10 June 1953, Prague) was a Czech botanist and politician. After gymnasium school studies in Příbram, he studied botany at the Charles University in Prague ) , image_name = C ...

changed the name to ''Flindersia xanthxyla''.

Distribution and habitat

''Flindersia xanthoxyla'' grows in dry and subtropical rainforest at altitudes between from the

Richmond River The Richmond River is a river situated in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia. Course and features The river rises at the northern end of the Richmond Range, near its junction with the McPherson Range, on the Queensl ...

in north-eastern New South Wales to

Gympie Gympie ( ) is a city and a locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. In the Wide Bay-Burnett District, Gympie is about north of the state capital, Brisbane. The city lies on the Mary River, which floods Gympie occasionally. The ...

in south eastern Queensland.

Conservation status

''Flindersia xanthoxyla'' is classified as of "least concern" under the Queensland Government ''

Nature Conservation Act 1992 The ''Nature Conservation Act 1992'' is an act of the Parliament of Queensland, Australia, that, together with subordinate legislation, provides for the legislative protection of Queensland's threatened biota. As originally published, it pro ...

''.

Uses

An ornamental tree, it is also planted for shade. It was previously used for timber in the construction of coaches, cabinet making, flooring, tool handles, lining, ammunition boxes, artificial limbs and joinery. The timber has steam bending qualities. The weight is between 575 and 900 kilograms per cubic metre.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5459444 xanthoxyla Sapindales of Australia Flora of New South Wales Flora of Queensland Plants described in 1830