Syzygium canicortex, commonly known as yellow satinash, is a tree in the family Myrtaceae native to Queensland, Australia, first described in 1983.
Description
Syzygium canicortex is a tree growing up to about 35m (115ft) tall and 1m (3ft 3in) diameter, and the trunks may be buttressed or fluted. Leaves are arranged in opposite pairs on small twigs about 1mm (0.04in) diameter. They are ovate to elliptic and usually have an unusually long drip tip. They measure on average about 3.4cm (1.3in) long by 1.4cm (0.55in) wide, and are held on a petiole up to 5mm (0.20in) long. New growth is deep red, transitioning to green.[4][5]
Flowers are most often produced in the leaf axils and are mostly solitary, rarely in a few-flowered raceme. The developing bud is covered by a cap (known as an operculum) which is shed at maturity along with the attached petals. The hypanthium tapers slowly into the pedicel (flower stem), the stamens are numerous, yellow, and about 5mm (0.20in) long. The style is about 7mm (0.28in) long. The fruit is, in botanical terms, a berry, red, about 9mm (0.35in) diameter, and contains a single seed.[4][5]
Taxonomy
This plant was first described in 1983 by the Australian botanist Bernard Hyland, as part of a major review of the genus and some relatives. His paper, titled "A revision of Syzygium and allied genera (Myrtaceae) in Australia", was published in the Australian Journal of Botany.[4]
Etymology
The genus name Syzygium comes from the Greek word syzgos, meaning "joined" and is a reference to the paired leaves displayed by members of the genus. The species epithetcanicortex was given as a reference to the grey cortex (Canus is Latin for grey).
Distribution and habitat
The yellow satinash is endemic to Queensland, and is found along the coast and coastal ranges from the area near Rossville south to the Paluma Range National Park. It grows in rainforest at altitudes from about 80m (260ft) to 1,400m (4,600ft), often on granite soils.[4]
This species has been used in the past as a structural timber, sold under the name 'Yellow Satinash'. The wood has a specific gravity of 0.7 to 0.73.[5]
1234Hyland, B.P.M. (1983). "A revision of Syzygium and allied genera (Myrtaceae) in Australia". Australian Journal of Botany, Supplementary Series. 13 (9): 66–68. doi:10.1071/BT8309001.
