Common name: umbrella tree
Schefflera actinophylla (Endl.) Harms APNI* 
Description: Tree to c. 10 m high, often multistemmed, glabrous.
Leaves palmately compound; leaflets usually 7–16 oblong to oblong-obovate, usually 8–30 cm long, 4–8 cm wide (saplings often with 3, much smaller leaflets), apex acuminate, base ± rounded, margins entire, lamina dark green, glabrous, leathery; petiole 15–40 cm long; petiolules 4–8 cm long; fused interpetiolar stipule to 5 cm long.
Flowers sessile in shortly pedunculate heads; heads 10–20 mm diam.; peduncles 1–25 mm long, subtended by stipule-like bracts; rachis of inflorescence to 60 cm long, and often clustered at end of branches. Calyx truncate, c. 1 mm long. Petals 7–18, but usually 12, 3–5 mm long, red. Stamens same number as petals.
Drupe 3–5 mm long, ribbed, dark red.
Flowering: autumn.
Distribution and occurrence: Often cultivated as an ornamental; occasionally naturalized in coastal districts, sometimes epiphytic on rainforest trees; north from Brunswick Heads. Native of N Qld.
NSW subdivisions: *NC
Other Australian states: *Qld
Text by M. J. Henwood & R. O. Makinson
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 3 (1992)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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