Dillenia alata


Dillenia alata, commonly known as red beech or golden guinea tree, is a rainforest tree in the Dilleniaceae family, found in northern Australia, New Guinea and nearby islands. It is a medium-sized tree with reddish-brown papery bark. The leaves are 11–23 mm long and 6–13 mm wide and connected to the stem by a stem-clasping winged petiole. The five-petalled yellow flowers have a cluster of pink or red styles, anthers and staminoides at the centre.
The species was formally described in 1817 and given the name Wormia alata based on plant material collected by Joseph Banks at Point Lookout, Endeavour River, during Lieutenant James Cook's first voyage of discovery in 1770. The species was transferred to the genus Dillenia by Italian botanist Ugolino Martelli in 1886.

Etymology

The species epithet, alata, means "winged" and refers to the winged leaf-stalks.

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