Eucryphia jinksii

Species of tree

Eucryphia jinksii
Conservation status
Endangered (NCA)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Oxalidales
Family: Cunoniaceae
Genus: Eucryphia
Species:
E. jinksii
Binomial name
Eucryphia jinksii
P.I.Forst.[1][2]

Eucryphia jinksii, the Springbrook leatherwood, is a species of rare rainforest trees found in Queensland and New South Wales, Australia, of the plant family Cunoniaceae.

They grow naturally to 30m tall yet were discovered as a new species only in 1994 by David Jinks.[1]

Eucryphia jinksii’s endemic, very restricted and threatened distribution has obtained the conservation status of "endangered", officially listed in the regulation current as of 27 September 2013[update], of the Queensland government legislation, the Nature Conservation Act 1992.[3]

Distribution and habitat

It is known from a single creek catchment in Warm Temperate Rainforest on the Springbrook Plateau. Another stand has been discovered growing not as trees but as a thicket of multi stemmed shrubs on a wind sheared clifftop also in the Springbrook Area. It grows in New South Wales at Numinbah Nature Reserve,[4] on the Mount Warning caldera.

Description

E. jinksii trees have pale lichen covered bark typical of many species in the Warm Temperate Rainforests. Often a ring of coppice shoots surrounds the base of an adult tree, coppice and seedling leaves have 5-7 leaflets, while adult leaves have 1–3.

Flowers are cream with four petals and numerous stamens. Beehives near other species of Eucryphia make a famous rich honey known as Leatherwood Honey this species has considerable potential for honey production.

Fruits are small brown capsules with multiple segments and small seeds.

References

  1. ^ a b Forster, Paul I.; Hyland, Bernie. P. M. (1997). "Two new species of Eucryphia Cav. (Cunoniaceae) from Queensland". Austrobaileya. 4 (4): 589–596. JSTOR 41738890.
  2. ^ "Eucryphia jinksii P.I.Forst.". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  3. ^ Queensland Government (27 Sep 2013). "Nature Conservation (Wildlife) Regulation 2006" (PDF). Nature Conservation Act 1992. Online, accessed from www.legislation.qld.gov.au. Australia. p. 34. Retrieved 28 Nov 2013.
  4. ^ Floyd, Alex G. (2008). Rainforest Trees of Mainland South-eastern Australia (revised ed.). Lismore, NSW: Terania Rainforest Publishing. p. 114. ISBN 978-0-9589436-7-3.
  • David Jinks Pers Comm 2007.
  • Nursery Website with Images
Taxon identifiers
Eucryphia jinksii