''Flindersia bennettii'', commonly known as Bennett's ash, is a species of tree in the family

Rutaceae The Rutaceae is a family, commonly known as the rueRUTACEAE
in BoDD – Botanical Der ...

and 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 els ...

to north-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 with between three and nine leaflets, cream-coloured flowers arranged on the ends of branchlets and woody fruit containing winged seeds.

Description

''Flindersia bennettii'' is a tree that typically grows to a height of . Its leaves are arranged in opposite pairs and usually pinnate with between three and nine elliptical to egg-shaped leaflets that are long and wide. The leaflets are glossy dark green on the upper surface and paler below, the side leaflets on

petiolules In botany, the petiole () is the stalk that attaches the leaf blade to the stem, and is able to twist the leaf to face the sun. This gives a characteristic foliage arrangement to the plant. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole in s ...

long, the end leaflet on a petiolule long. The flowers are arranged in

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 In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is ...

s on the ends of branchlets, sometimes in upper 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, ...

s, and are up to 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 coined ...

s are 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 are cream-coloured to white, long with a few hairs on the back. Flowering occurs from May to October and the fruit is a capsule long and studded with rough points up to long. The seeds are long and winged at both ends.

Taxonomy

''Flindersia bennettii'' was first formally described in 1861 by Charles Moore from an unpublished description by

Ferdinand von Mueller Baron Sir Ferdinand Jacob Heinrich von Mueller, (german: Müller; 30 June 1825 – 10 October 1896) was a German-Australian physician, geographer, and most notably, a botanist. He was appointed government botanist for the then colony of Vic ...

, and the description was published in ''Catalogue of the Natural and Industrial Products of New South Wales, exhibited in the School of Arts by the International Exhibition Commissioners''.

Distribution and habitat

Bennett's ash mainly grows in streamside, seaside or subtropical rainforest from sea level to an altitude of and occurs from the Clarence River in New South Wales to Bundaberg in south eastern Queensland.

Conservation status

''Flindersia bennettii'' 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 prov ...

''.

Uses

The timber of Bennett's ash is straight grained and easily worked. It was previously used for timber in the construction of coaches, boat building, cabinet and joinery work. It is an excellent carving wood. The weight is between 800 and 850 kilograms per cubic metre.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5459438 bennettii Sapindales of Australia Flora of New South Wales Flora of Queensland Trees of Australia Taxa named by Charles Moore Plants described in 1861