Yellow wood
Acronychia laevis, Fam. Rutaceae
Yellow wood is a large shrub to small tree, with compact growth and striking fruit that range from pink to purple in colouration. Whilst edible, the fruit is generally not pleasant to eat. The Latin name is derived from the Greek language with Acronychia translating to claw edged, in reference to the petal points, and laevis meaning smooth, referring to its smooth shoots and leaves.
| Weed Category: | |
| Weed: | No |
| Form or habit: | Shrub, Small tree |
| Family: | Rutaceae |
| Leaf: | Simple Opposite Opposite, elliptic to obovate, up to 9x4cm in size. The apex is rounded or slightly indented and there is a distinct joint where the leaf blade meets the stem. They contain numerous oil dots and emit a citrus smell when crushed. |
| Flower conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Flower colour: |
White, Green |
| Flower description: | Small greenish white flowers with four re-curved petals |
| Fruit conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Fruit colour: |
Pink |
| Fruit: | Fleshy |
| Fruit description: | Pink, four cornered, crisp-fleshy fruits, to about 1.5cm in diameter, that contain up to 4 dark seeds about 4mm long. |
| Habitat: | Beach scrub, littoral rainforest, rainforest. |
| Distribution | North East Qld to North East NSW. Also found on Lord Howe Island and New Caledonia. |
| Food source for: | Fruit and/or seeds eaten by green catbird, emerald dove, topknot and white-headed pigeons. |
| Toxicity: | No toxicity known |
| Origin: | Australia |
| Notes: | |
| Information sources: | Don Perrin (1988), Dictionary of Botanical names., Meltzer & Plumb (2007), Plants of Capricornia., Society for Growing Australian Plants. Mackay Branch. (1989). One hundred and one trees of Mackay. |
