Orange boxwood
Denhamia disperma, Fam. Celastraceae
Tree to 15m high and a stem diameter of 50cm. The crown is dense and rounded. Large trees are usually flanged at the base. The outer bark is grey brown, the surface closely roughened by minute scales, wrinkles and horizontal pustular markings. The underbark is creamy fawn, often bright yellow on the inner margin. Outer surface of live bark creamy pink with vertical green stripes. The underbark of the roots is bright orange. Previously Maytenus disperma.
| Weed Category: | |
| Weed: | No |
| Form or habit: | Small tree |
| Family: | Celastraceae |
| Leaf: | Alternate, simple, entire, obovate, oblong-obovate or elliptic, mostly 3–9cm x 1–4cm wide, apex obtuse or acute, base attenuate, margins mostly entire, surfaces green and glabrous, upper surface glossy when fresh, rather dull when dry, petiole 3–12mm long. |
| Flower conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Flower colour: |
White |
| Flower description: | White in short axillary racemes, 1–3cm long, or solitary along the branchlets. Pedicels 0.5–4mm long. Four sepals 1mm long, Four petals 1.8–2.5mm long, Four stamens. October–January. |
| Fruit conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Fruit colour: | |
| Fruit: | |
| Fruit description: | Two-valved, obovoid, compressed capsules, 6–10 mm long, yellow when ripe. One or two black seed, 6mm long, with a thick fleshy yellow aril at base. January to March. |
| Habitat: | Rainforest. |
| Distribution | Queensland, New South Wales. |
| Food source for: | |
| Toxicity: | No toxicity known |
| Origin: | Australia. |
| Notes: | Timber pale yellow, firm, marked and close grained. |
| Information sources: | Floyd AG. (1989) Rainforest trees of mainland south-eastern Australia., PlantNET (2022) Denhamia disperma (F.Muell.) M.P.Simmons FloraOnline. |
