Celtis paniculata

{{Short description|Species of tree in the hemp family}} {{speciesbox |name = |image = Celtis paniculata juvenile.JPG |image_caption = |status = LC |status_system = QLDNCA |status_ref = <ref name="DESQLD"/> |genus = Celtis |species = paniculata |authority = Endl. & Planch. |synonyms = * ''Celtis ingens'' F.Muell. * ''Celtis opaca'' C.Moore ex Benth. * ''Celtis palauensis'' Kaneh. & Hatus. * ''Solenostigma paniculatum'' Endl. * ''Sponia solenostigma'' Steud. * ''Trema integrifolium'' {{ill|Takahide Hosokawa|ja}} |synonyms_ref = <ref name="POWO"/> }}

'''''Celtis paniculata''''', commonly known as '''tripewood''', '''silky keltis''', '''silky celtis''', '''native hackberry''', '''native celtis''', '''Investigator tree''' or '''whitewood''', is a rainforest tree in the family Cannabaceae native to parts of Malesia, Melanesia and Australia.

== Description == The tree grows to {{cvt|40|m}} tall and {{cvt|90|cm}} trunk width, though usually much smaller. The trunk is mostly cylindrical and somewhat buttressed at the base. The bark is thin, greyish brown and smooth, with pustular vertical lines.<ref name=floyd2008/>

=== Leaves === Leaves are elliptical in shape with a prominent leaf tip. Leaves are alternate and simple, smooth, not toothed, {{convert|6|-|10|cm|in|1|abbr=on}} long with a pointed tip. The leaf stalk is somewhat channelled and flattened on the top, and {{convert|6|-|10|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} in length. Both sides of the leaf are of a dull green shade. With a hand lens, translucent glands may be seen in the leaves. The base of the leaf is often oblique, that is of unequal length on either side of the leaf stem. Leaf venation is more evident on the underside of the leaf. An identifying feature is the intramarginal leaf vein, which starts at the leaf base and travels on either edge of the leaf, a distance of quarter to half the length of the leaf.<ref name=floyd2008/><ref name=plantnet>{{cite web |title=''Celtis paniculata''|work=PlantNET, New South Wales Flora Online|url=http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Celtis~paniculata|author= Gwen Harden|author-link= Gwen Harden|accessdate= 19 July 2020}}</ref>

=== Flowers and fruit === Green flowers in axilliary cymes<ref name=floyd2008/> or panicles<ref name=plantnet/> appear from December to January. The fruit is a blue to black, round to oval shaped drupe, {{convert|8|-|10|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} long. containing a single seed which has veiny ridges.<ref name="RFK"/> Fruit matures from July to March.

=== Germination and seedlings === Germination takes between 48 and 100 days. The cotyledons are large, about {{cvt|30|mm|1}} long by {{cvt|25|mm|0}} wide, with an apex divided into two acute lobes. The first pairs of juvenile leaves are often toothed. At the tenth leaf stage leaves become oval in shape with a prominent tip.<ref name="RFK"/>

== Taxonomy & naming == This plant first appeared in scientific literature as ''Solenostigma paniculatum'' in 1833, published in the ''Prodromus Florae Norfolkicae'' by the Austrian botanist Stephan Endlicher. The type specimen was collected at Norfolk Island by the artist Ferdinand Bauer. The specific epithet ''paniculata'' refers to the tufted and branched flowers.<ref name=floyd2008/> In 1848 Jules Émile Planchon moved the species to the current genus.

=== Origin of the name 'Investigator Tree' === In 1802 the explorer Matthew Flinders discovered and named Sweers Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria during his circumnavigation of Australia in the sloop HMS Investigator, and he carved the word 'Investigator' into a tree on the island, a specimen of ''Celtis paniculata''. The tree became well known amongst later explorers, who also carved the names of their vessels into the tree.<ref name="QLDMUSEUM">{{cite web |url = https://learning.qm.qld.gov.au/resources/1563847/h43029.1-ch-classification-exploration-terrestrial-tree-section |title=''H43029.1 CH classification EXPLORATION Terrestrial tree section'' |website= | publisher=Queensland Museum Network |access-date = 18 July 2020}}</ref> When the tree was damaged by a tropical cyclone in 1887, part of the trunk was removed to the Queensland Museum.

==Distribution and habitat== ''C. paniculatta'' has a wide natural distribution in tropical Asia and the Pacific, including Borneo, the Moluccas, the Lesser Sunda Islands, the Caroline Islands, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and the Northern Territory and Queensland.<ref name="POWO"/><ref name="RFK"/><ref name="FOA"/> In Australia it occurs from Kiama (34° S) in New South Wales to Cape York Peninsula, as well as on Norfolk Island.<ref name="RFK"/><ref name="FOA"/>

It will grow in a variety of forest types, including sandy beach forests, rainforests, monsoon forests and sclerophyll forests,<ref name="FOA"/> and on a variety of soil types, including soils derived from basalt, granite and limestone.<ref name="FOA"/> It is often seen in coastal areas, but in northern parts of Queensland it can be found up to an altitude of {{cvt|800|m}}.<ref name="floyd2008"/><ref name="RFK"/>

== Ecology & uses == ''Celtis paniculata'' is a food tree for the blue beak, common aeroplane, tailed emperor and other butterflies.<ref name="RFK"/><ref>{{cite web | url = https://biocache.ala.org.au/occurrences/search?taxa=Celtis+paniculata#tab_mapView| title = ''Celtis paniculata'' | website = ala.org.au | publisher = Atlas of Living Australia | accessdate = 9 October 2019}}</ref>{{Failed verification|reason=This site doesn't provide any information other than locations|date=December 2024}} Many rainforest pigeons and other birds feed on the fruit.<ref name="COOPER2"/><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/nature/landholderNotes05FleshyFruitedTrees.pdf| title = ''Fleshy Fruited Food Trees of Northern New South Wales'' | website = | publisher = Environment - New South Wales Government | accessdate = 19 July 2020}}</ref> An endangered population of the beetle Menippus darcyi feeds on ''Celtis paniculata''.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/animals-and-plants/threatened-species/nsw-threatened-species-scientific-committee/determinations/final-determinations/2000-2003/menippus-darcyi-a-beetle-population--endangered-population-listing| title = ''Menippus darcyi (a beetle) population, Sutherland Shire - endangered population listing '' | website = | date = 3 March 2000 | publisher = NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment - New South Wales Government | accessdate = 19 July 2020}}</ref> The tree produces a useful general purpose timber, with a specific gravity of 0.70.<ref name="RFK"/>

==Gallery== <gallery mode=packed> File:Investigator Tree Celtis paniculata Bass Point.jpg |Growing at Bass Point, NSW File:Image_of_the_Investigator_tree_on_Sweers_Island_in_1871.tiff |The original "Investigator Tree" on Sweers Island in 1871 File:Celtis paniculata seedling.jpg |Cotyledons File:Celtis paniculata leaf scan.jpg |Mature leaves </gallery>

==References== {{Commonscat}} {{Wikispecies}} {{Reflist |refs= <ref name=floyd2008>{{cite book |url=http://rainforestpublishing.com.au/shop/rainforest-trees-of-south-eastern-australia/ |title=Rainforest Trees of Mainland South-eastern Australia |first=A. G. |last=Floyd |author-link=Alexander Floyd |publisher=Terania Rainforest Publishing, copyright Forestry Commission of New South Wales |location=Lismore, New South Wales |year=2008 |edition=2nd, Revised |isbn= 978-0-958943-67-3 |page=92 |access-date=2020-07-19}}</ref>

<ref name="RFK">{{cite web |author1=F.A.Zich |author2=B.P.M.Hyland |author3=T.Whiffen |author4=R.A.Kerrigan |author2-link=Bernard Hyland |year=2020 |url=https://apps.lucidcentral.org/rainforest/text/entities/Celtis_paniculata.htm |title=''Celtis paniculata'' |website=Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants Edition 8 (RFK8) |publisher=Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government |access-date=27 June 2021}}</ref>

<ref name="DESQLD">{{cite web |url=https://apps.des.qld.gov.au/species-search/details/?id=17667 |title=Species profile—''Celtis paniculata'' |website=Queensland Department of Environment and Science |publisher=Queensland Government |access-date=27 June 2021 |year=2019}}</ref>

<ref name="POWO">{{cite web |title=''Celtis paniculata'' |url=http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:851138-1 |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |access-date=27 June 2021}}</ref>

<ref name="FOA">{{cite web |last1=Hewson |first1=R.J. |title=''Celtis paniculata'' |url=https://profiles.ala.org.au/opus/foa/profile/Celtis%20paniculata |website=Flora of Australia |publisher=Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra |access-date=27 June 2021 |year=2021}}</ref>

<ref name="COOPER2">{{Cite book |last1=Cooper |first1=Wendy |last2=Cooper |first2=William T. |author-link2=William T. Cooper |date=June 2004 |title=Fruits of the Australian Tropical Rainforest |publication-place=Clifton Hill, Victoria, Australia |publisher=Nokomis Editions |isbn=9780958174213 |url=https://www.nokomis.com.au/product/nokomis-published-books/fruits-australian-tropical-rainforest/ |access-date=27 June 2021 |page=546}}</ref> }}

paniculata Category:Rosales of Australia Category:Trees of Australia Category:Flora of Queensland Category:Flora of New South Wales Category:Flora of Norfolk Island Category:Flora of Malesia Category:Flora of the Caroline Islands Category:Flora of New Guinea Category:Flora of the Solomon Islands (archipelago) Category:Flora of Vanuatu Category:Flora of New Caledonia Category:Taxa named by Stephan Endlicher Category:Plants described in 1833