Guioa coriacea

Guioa coriacea , commonly known as Cedar or Island Cedar, is a flowering plant in the soapberry family. The specific epithet refers to the coriaceous (leathery) leaves.^[1]

Description

It is a tree growing to 15 m in height. The shiny paripinnate leaves, with under-rolled edges and 1–4 pairs of leaflets, are 30–110 mm long, 12–50 mm wide. The white, tinged pink, 6 mm long flowers occur in clusters from December to February. The fruits are green-brown, 3-lobed woody capsules, 25 mm long. The small black seeds are 1–1.5 mm long and covered with a fleshy orange aril. The trees are often noticeable in early winter because of the orange arils on the seeds that have fallen to the ground.^[1][2]

Distribution and habitat

The species is endemic to Australia’s subtropical Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea where it is common in sheltered lowland forest.^[1][2]

References