Drypetes deplanchei

 Grey Bark, Yellow Tulipwood, Grey Boxwood

 Putranjivaceae

Form and Size: A small to medium tree, 5-15m high, usually only 5-7m, with a straight trunk, often flanged at the base, and a dense canopy.

Distribution: Qld., N.T., WA. and north-eastern N.S.W.; in coastal and tableland forests, monsoon forests, vine thickets and on stabilised dunes.

Leaves: Variable shape, commonly oval, smooth, tough, leathery, dark green above, paler beneath, margins sometimes slightly wavy, 3.5-13cm x 2-5cm; Juvenile leaves toothed and holly-like.

Bark: Grey to brown, scaly, giving a mottled appearance when shedding.

Flowers: Separate male and female trees, yellowish green, 0.2-0.4cm diameter; borne in small clusters in the leaf axils.

Flowering Period: May to November.

Fruit:  Bright red or orange, shiny, oval, 1-2cm long, fleshy; a single seed with a hard shell.

Cultivation/Notes: Propagate from fresh seed. An attractive tree which needs shelter while young. Useful as a shade tree or will form part of a rainforest garden. Well drained acid soils with a good mulch cover are desirable. The wood is excellent for carving. A foodplant of the Common and Grey Albatross butterflies.