Diploglottis harpullioides, commonly known as Babinda tamarind, is a rainforest tree in the lychee and maple family Sapindaceae which is found only in northeast Queensland, Australia.
| Babinda tamarind | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Sapindales |
| Family: | Sapindaceae |
| Genus: | Diploglottis |
| Species: | D. harpullioides
|
| Binomial name | |
| Diploglottis harpullioides | |
Description
editDiploglottis harpullioides is a shrub or small tree growing up to 5 m (16 ft) tall. The compound leaves may reach 58 cm (23 in) in length (including the petiole), and have between 4 and 8 stiff, hairless leaflets arranged in opposite pairs. Each pair is larger than the previous pair closer to the junction with the branch. Leaflets are elliptic-oblong with accuminate tips and very oblique bases, and measure up to 32 cm (13 in) long by 11 cm (4.3 in) wide. They have between 9 and 14 lateral veins each side of the midrib which curve inside the leaf margin and connect to adjacent veins.[4]: 391 [5][6][7]
The inflorescences are very small compared to other members of Diploglottis, being just 2.5 cm (0.98 in) long. They are panicles growing from the leaf axils, carrying flowers about 5 mm (0.20 in) wide on pedicels up to 7 mm (0.28 in) long. The sepals are pale green, and the 5 white petals measure up to 5.5 mm (0.22 in) long.[4]: 392 [5][6][7]
The fruit is a large, green, hairless or sparsely hairy capsule measuring up to 4 cm (1.6 in) long by 6 cm (2.4 in) wide with walls about 4 mm (0.16 in) thick. They have 1–4 valves which split open to release the seeds. The valves are silky hairy on the inside and have 1 brown seed which is completely enclosed in a red aril. Usually 2 valves are aborted and don't mature, appearing as small lumps on the base of the fruit.[4]: 392 [5][6][7]
Taxonomy
editThe Babinda tamarind was first described by the Australian botanist Sally T. Reynolds in the first of a series of papers on the Sapindaceae species in Australia. This paper, titled "Notes on Sapindaceae in Australia, I" was published in 1981 in Austrobaileya, the official journal of the Queensland Herbarium.[4]
Etymology
editThe genus name Diploglottis comes from the Neo-Latin words diplo- meaning double, and glottis meaning tongue, which is a reference to the two tongue-like scales on the petals.[7] The species epithet harpullioides is a reference to this plant's similarity to the genus Harpullia.[7]
Distribution and habitat
editThis species is endemic to northeastern Queensland, and occurs in coastal flats and adjacent ranges from near Rossville and Cedar Bay in the Ngalba Bulal National Park, south to about Innisfail, and from sea level to about 400 m (1,300 ft). It is an understorey tree in well developed rainforest.[4]: 392 [5][6][7]
Conservation
editThe Babinda tamarind is listed by the Queensland Government's Department of Environment, Science and Innovation as least concern.[1] As of 4 February 2024[update], it has not been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Gallery
edit-
Foliage -
Flower buds -
Flowers -
Two fruits, one with an
aborted valve -
Dehisced fruit and seeds
References
edit- ^ a b "Species profile—Diploglottis harpullioides". Queensland Department of Environment and Science. Queensland Government. 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
- ^ "Diploglottis harpullioides". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ "Diploglottis harpullioides S.T.Reynolds". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
- ^ a b c d e Reynolds, S.T. (1981). "Notes on Sapindaceae in Australia, I". Austrobaileya. 1 (4): 388–419. doi:10.5962/p.365514. JSTOR 41738625.
- ^ a b c d F.A.Zich; B.P.M.Hyland; T.Whiffen; R.A.Kerrigan (2020). "Diploglottis harpullioides". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants Edition 8 (RFK8). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
- ^ a b c d Reynolds, S.T. (2022). Kodela, P.G. (ed.). "Diploglottis harpullioides". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f Cooper, Wendy; Cooper, William T. (June 2004). Fruits of the Australian Tropical Rainforest. Clifton Hill, Victoria, Australia: Nokomis Editions. p. 487. ISBN 978-0958174213.
External links
edit
Data related to Diploglottis harpullioides at Wikispecies
Media related to Diploglottis harpullioides at Wikimedia Commons- View a map of historical sightings of this species at the Australasian Virtual Herbarium
- View observations of this species on iNaturalist
- View images of this species on Flickriver
