Alectryon excelsus Gaertn.

Species

Angiosperms > Sapindales > Sapindaceae > Alectryon

Characteristics

Tree up to ± 10 m. tall; trunk ± 6 dm. diam.; branches stout, bark nearly, black; branchlets, lflts, infl.-axes and capsules densely clad in ferruginous hairs when young. Lvs imparipinnate, ± 10-40 cm. long, on petioles ± 8 cm. long. Lflts alt. to subopp., 4-6 pairs on petiolules c. 5 mm. long. Lamina ± 5-10 × 2-5 cm. long, subcoriac., slightly obliquely ovate-lanceolate to ovate-oblong, acuminate, ± sinuate-undulate, coarsely irregularly serrate-dentate with teeth up to c. 5 mm. long, to obscurely toothed or entire. Panicles up to c. 3 dm. long, us. much and openly branched; pedicels slender, up to c. 5 mm. long. Calyx cupular, pubescent, ± deeply cleft into 5 triangular acute teeth. Stamens 6-8; anthers large, dark red. Ovary small, densely pubescent. Capsule somewhat woody, 8-12 mm. long, pubescent, winged above, the wing us. produced as a spur on one side. Seeds subglobose, black, lustrous; aril scarlet, fleshy, granular, us. investing lower half of seed, sts vestigial.
More
A small tree. It grows 6-12 m tall. The bark is almost black. The leaves are dark green. Underneath they are covered with rusty coloured hairs. The leaves are 5-10 cm long. The flowers are small. The fruit is a brown capsule. It opens to show red flesh and shiny black seeds.
Life form -
Growth form tree
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention evergreen
Sexuality monoecy
Pollination -
Spread -
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 6.0 - 10.0
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) 0.5
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Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway c3

Environment

A temperate plant. In New Zealand it grows in lowland forests up to 600 m altitude. It is resistant to fort but damaged by drought. It suits hardiness zone 8-9. Hobart Botanical Gardens.
Light 4-9
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Hardiness (USDA) 8-9

Usage

The fruit is sweet but acid and has a rough taste.
Uses environmental use material medicinal
Edible fruits
Therapeutic use -
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Plants are grown from seed. Seeds germinate easily.
Mode seedlings
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Images

Alectryon excelsus unspecified picture

Distribution

Alectryon excelsus world distribution map, present in New Zealand

Conservation status

Alectryon excelsus threat status: Least Concern

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:781648-1
WFO ID wfo-0000525461
COL ID 667KL
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Alectryon excelsus Evonymoides excelsa Euonymoides excelsa

Lower taxons

Alectryon excelsus subsp. grandis