Flindersia brayleyana, commonly known as Queensland maple, maple silkwood or red beech,
Description
Flindersia brayleyana is a tree that typically grows to a height of . It has pinnate leaves arranged in more or less opposite pairs with between six and ten egg-shaped to elliptical leaflets that are long and wide on petiolules long. The leaves have many conspicuous oil dots. The flowers are arranged in panicles long, the
about long and the petals white or cream-coloured, long. The fruit is a smooth, woody capsule long that splits into five at maturity, releasing seeds long.
Taxonomy
Flindersia brayleyana was first formally described in 1866 by Ferdinand von Mueller in
Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae from specimens collected near the
Herbert River by
John Dallachy.
The specific epithet (
brayleyana) honours Edward William Brayley.
Distribution and habitat
Queensland maple grows in rainforest at altitudes between between the
Daintree River and
Rockingham Bay.
Conservation status
Flindersia brayleyana is classified as of "least concern" under the Queensland Government
Nature Conservation Act 1992.
Uses
Queensland maple produces a good quality, decorative cabinet timber and has been used in the manufacture of propellers and plywood in Mosquito bomber aircraft and in acoustic guitars.
However most specimens are protected in
World Heritage areas, the timber is now in very short supply, and attempts to grow the tree in plantations have failed. Its heartwood is pink to brownish pink whilst the narrow sapwood band is white to pale grey.
The timber provides very high chatoyance (iridescence or lustre), with an average value above 23 PZC.
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