Alectryon
Alectryon connatus, Fam. Sapindaceae
Small to medium tree with a dark green canopy and grey to dark grey smooth bark. Alectryon is from the greek alectryon 'a cock' possibly due to the comb like crest on the fruit of the first species described in the genus; connatus from the latin con 'together' and nato natare 'to flow', probably referring to the clusters of flowers or fruit.
| Weed Category: | |
| Weed: | No |
| Form or habit: | Small tree, Med tree |
| Family: | Sapindaceae |
| Leaf: | Alternate, pinnate with 2 to 6 leaflets (often 4); glossy green above, duller and paler below, often with a blue-green hue. Leaflets oblong-elliptic or narrowly ovate-obovate with a rounded, slightly notched tip; 4-11cm long; margins entire. |
| Flower conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Flower colour: |
Yellow, Green |
| Flower description: | Terminal cluster of small green yellow flowers; late winter to autumn. |
| Fruit conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Fruit colour: |
Orange |
| Fruit: | |
| Fruit description: | Orange, 3 to 4 lobed capsule containing black seed surrounded by a red aril. Produced year round. |
| Habitat: | Littoral rainforest, rainforest |
| Distribution | Queensland, New South Wales and New Guinea |
| Food source for: | Fruit or aril eaten by birds including the brown cuckoo dove, black faced cuckoo shrike, figbird, metallic starling and Lewin's honeyeater. Larval food plant of the Macqueen's hairstreak butterfly. |
| Toxicity: | No toxicity known |
| Origin: | Australia and New Guinea |
| Notes: | Slow growing, grow from seed. The red aril of the fruit is edible and sweet. |
| Information sources: | Melzer R. & Plumb J. (2007) Plants of Capricornia. |
