Celtis conferta subsp. amblyphylla, commonly known as cotton wood or cotton-wood, is a flowering plant in the hemp and hackberry family.

Description

It is a tree growing to 16 metres (52 feet) in height, with whitish bark. The thick, leathery, oval leaves are 5–9 centimetres (2–3+1⁄2 inches) long, 2–4 cm (3⁄4–1+5⁄8 in) wide. Clusters of small flowers, 3–4 millimetres (1⁄8–3⁄16 in) long, appear from November to February. The round, purple fruits are 4 mm in diameter.[1][2]

Distribution and habitat

The subspecies is endemic to Australia's subtropical Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea. There it is widespread in lowland forest. The only other subspecies, C. c. subsp. conferta, is endemic to New Caledonia.[1][2]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Celtis conferta subsp. amblyphylla". Flora of Australia Online: Data derived from Flora of Australia Volume 49 (1994). Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS). Retrieved 24 February 2014.
  2. ^ a b Hutton, Ian (1998). The Australian Geographic Book of Lord Howe Island. Sydney: Australian Geographic. p. 145. ISBN 978-1-876276-27-0.

External links