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Genus Flindersia Family Rutaceae

Description: Small to large trees, glabrous or with simple, scale-like or stellate hairs, unarmed.

Leaves alternate to opposite, simple, 1-foliolate, 3-foliolate to paripinnate or imparipinnate; leaflets 1–16, margins entire; lateral leaflets opposite or almost so.

Inflorescences axillary in the upper axils or terminal, paniculate. Flowers bisexual or functionally staminate. Sepals 5, free or basally fused. Petals 5, imbricate, free, not persistent in fruit. Stamens 5, free, erect with inflexed apices, opposite the sepals, alternating with 5 staminodes. Ovary 5-locular, shallowly 5-lobed, ± globose, usually with 5 apical glands around the base of the fused styles; styles arising terminally from carpels; stigma capitate or peltate; ovules 4–6 in each loculus.

Fruit a ± woody capsule opening septicidally into 5 valves; seeds winged, falling from dehiscing fruit, dull to shiny, brown.


Distribution and occurrence: World: 16 species, Moluccas, New Guinea, New Caledonia. Australia: 14 species (11 species endemic), Qld, N.S.W.

Many rainforest species yield timber that is widely used for flooring, cabinet work and other interior fittings. F. australis is one of the most valuable of Australian timbers.

Text by M. F. Porteners
Taxon concept:

 Key to the species 
1Leaves simpleFlindersia maculosa
Leaves 3-foliolate or pinnate2
2Leaves with rachis prominently winged, wings extending 3–4 mm on each side; leaflets obovate, apex rounded to emarginate; capsules with tubercles 1–2 mm longFlindersia collina
Leaves with rachis not winged or occasionally with narrow wings extending less than 1 mm on each side; leaflets oblong-elliptic to elliptic or ovate, apex obtuse to more or less acuminate; capsules with tubercles 2–10 mm long
                       Back to 1
3
3Leaves usually alternate, crowded towards the ends of the branchlets, or alternate and opposite on the same branch; sepals 2.2–2.5 mm long; capsule valves separating to about half their length, but not completely separating; seeds winged at one end onlyFlindersia australis
Leaves opposite or more or less opposite; sepals 1–1.5 mm long; capsule valves fully separating; seeds winged at both ends
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4
4Leaflets not falcate, base more or less symmetrical, apex obtuse or occasionally acute, more or less leathery; staminal filaments glabrous; capsules 4–7 cm longFlindersia bennettii
Leaflets usually falcate, base asymmetric, apex bluntly acute to more or less acuminate, membranous to chartaceous to more or less leathery; staminal filaments pilose subapically; capsules 6.5–13 cm long
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5
5Leaves with 7–19 leaflets, oil dots dense, not unusually brittle when dry; petals villous inside, sparsely appressed-hairy outside; capsules with thick tuberclesFlindersia schottiana
Leaves with 3–11 leaflets, oil dots sparse or absent, very brittle when dry; petals glabrous; capsules with slender tubercles
                       Back to 4
Flindersia xanthoxyla

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