Red ash (Alphitonia excelsa)
Description
Alphitonia excelsa, commonly known as the red ash or soap tree, is a species of tree in the Rhamnaceae family. It is endemic to Australia, being found in New South Wales, Queensland, Northern Territory and the northeastern tip of Western Australia. It is used in bush regeneration as a pioneer species and for amenity planting. This tree reaches a height of 7–25 metres (23–82 ft), by 5–10 metres (16–33 ft) across. The Red Ash has a spreading shade-producing habit when a larger tree with an overall greyish green appearance. The alternate leaves measure 5–14 cm (2–6 in) in length and 2–5 cm (1–2 in) wide and are dark glossy green above and silvery with fine hairs underneath, making an attractive contrast on windy days. The trunk and larger branches bear fissured grey bark, while smaller branches have smoother grey or white bark. It bears small greenish white flowers in late autumn and early winter, followed by globular dark fruit around 1.5 cm (0.5 in) in diameter, which contain two seeds. When young shoots are bruised, they give off a typical odour of sarsaparilla. The flowers are fragrant in the evening.
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum:
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Class: Magnoliopsida
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Order: Rosales
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Family: Rhamnaceae
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Genus: Alphitonia
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