Cryptocarya triplinervis
Three Veined Laurel
Three Veined Laurel
Wikipedia links: Angiosperms > Magnoliids > Laurales > Lauraceae > Cryptocarya triplinervis
Other links:
Common name: Three Veined Laurel
Also, three veined cryptocarya and the brown laurel
Conservation status: . . .
Etymology:
Flowers:
Pale green fragrant flowers form on short stemmed panicles from September to December.
Fruit:
Fruit ripens from February to May. Being a black drupe, 8–12 mm across, with a single large seed inside
The fruit is somewhat longitudinally ribbed
Like most Australian Cryptocarya fruit, removal of the aril is advised to assist seed germination
Around 80% of the seeds will germinate, taking between three and six months
Plants generally take around 5 years to fruit in Brisbane Qld
Leaves:
Leaves alternate, small and broad with a prominent tip
Dark glossy green above, paler and hairy below
Three veined with an easily seen mid vein, which is depressed on the upper side and raised on the lower side of the leaf
Net veins easily seen on the underside
Leaves 6–10 cm long. Leaf stalks 10–12 mm long
Stem & branches:
A trunk diameter of 60 cm
The bark is grey brown, mostly smooth with lines of vertical bumps running up the trunk
Roots:
Habit:
A small tree, occasionally reaching 20 m in height
Habitat:
A rainforest tree growing in eastern Australia
C triplinervis var. triplinervis grows in littoral rainforests on sandy soils
Another variety var. pubens grows at higher altitude by streams, on volcanic or alluvial soil
Distribution:
The natural range of distribution is from Smoky Cape (30° S), near South West Rocks, NSW to the Daintree River (16° S) in tropical Queensland
It also occurs on Lord Howe Island where it is known as blackbutt
Additional notes:
Taxonomy
The species was formally described in 1810 by botanist Robert Brown
Three subspecies are currently recognised:
C. triplinervis var. pubens B.Hyland
C. triplinervis var. riparia B.Hyland
C. triplinervis R.Br. var. triplinervis
Sources of information: