Harpullia alata

Location & distribution maps

Phylogeny & links to associated information:

Wikipedia links:       Angiosperms > Eudicots > Rosids > Sapindales > Sapindaceae > Harpullia  alata 

Other links:

Plant  information

Common name:                Winged Tulip

• Also, wing-leaved tulip  

Conservation status:  Least concern

Etymology:   

• The species epithet, alata, is a Latin adjective meaning "winged"

Flowers:                  

• The inflorescences occur in the axils and are 5–14 cm long, on an inflorescence stalk which is densely covered with very short soft hairs

• The sepals are 7 mm long and the petals are 12 mm long

• There are eight stamens

• The ovary is covered in short, weak, soft hairs

• The style is flat and reflexed

Fruit:                         

• The sepals persist in fruit

• There are 2 seeds per locule, which are almost enclosed in a yellow to red aril

Leaves:         

• The leaf rachis and its stem have broad toothed wings

• The leaf rachis is 11–18 cm long, carrying 6 - 12 leaflets 

• These are elliptic and 6–18 cm long by 2.5–7 cm wide on a stalk which is 6–10.5 cm long

• This is the only Australian Harpullia species that has dentate margins on the leaflets

Stem & branches: 

• This is the only Australian Harpullia species that has wings on the leaf stem

Roots:         

Habit:        

• A tree which grows to a height of 7 m

• It has smooth parts except for its young growth and its inflorescences

Habitat:   

• It grows in rainforest 

Distribution:                  

• Endemic to eastern Australia, and found from Brisbane, Queensland to Grafton, NSW

Additional notes:     

• Taxonomy & naming

  • The species was formally described in 1860 by Victorian government botanist Ferdinand von Mueller from a specimen collected by Dr Hermann Beckler near the Clarence River in NSW

  • The type specimen is held at Kew, k000701234

Sources of information:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harpullia_alata (2023)