Alstonia spectabilis, commonly known as bitterbark, yellowjacket, milky yellowwood, leatherjacket, jackapple, hard milkwood or hard cheesewood, is a medium-sized species of tree in the dogbane family. It is native to eastern Malesia, Melanesia and northern Australia.

Alstonia spectabilis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Genus: Alstonia
Species:
A. spectabilis
Binomial name
Alstonia spectabilis
Synonyms
  • Alstonia linearis Benth.
  • Alstonia longissima F.Muell.
  • Alstonia ophioxyloides F.Muell.
  • Alstonia somersetensis F.M.Bailey
  • Alstonia spectabilis subsp. ophioxyloides (F.Muell.) P.I.Forst.
  • Alstonia villosa Blume
  • Alstonia villosa f. calvescens Markgr.
  • Alstonia villosa var. glabra Koord. & Valeton
  • Blaberopus villosa var. petiolata Miq.
  • Blaberopus villosus (Blume) Miq.

Description

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The species grows as a tree to 20 m in height.[1] The white flowers are 3.5–5 mm in diameter. The leaves are up to 36 cm long and 12.5 cm wide. The fruits are 20–40 cm long.[2]

Distribution and habitat

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The species is distributed from the Philippines, Java, the Moluccas and Lesser Sunda Islands, through New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago and the Solomon Islands, to northern Australia, in tropical forest habitats. It is commonly found on lateritic loam and sandstone soils.[1]

Subspecies

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  • Alstonia spectabilis subsp. spectabilis, Malesia to Melanesia and north Queensland
  • Alstonia spectabilis subsp. ophioxyloides, Western Australia and Northern Territory

References

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  1. ^ a b "Alstonia spectabilis". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  2. ^ "Alstonia spectabilis R.Br. subsp. spectabilis". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants. CSIRO. 2020. Retrieved 9 January 2023.