Synoum

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Rosids
Cladus: Eurosids II
Ordo: Sapindales

Familia: Meliaceae
Subfamilia: Melioideae
Tribus: Guareeae
Genus: Synoum
Species: S. glandulosum – S. muelleri
Name

Synoum A.Juss., Bull. Sci. Nat. Geol. 23: 237. 1830 [Nov 1830]
Synonyms

Homotypic
Synoum A.Juss., Mém. Mus. Hist. Nat. 19: 226, t. 15. 1830 publ. 1831–1832; isonym.

References

Global Biodiversity Information Facility. 2019. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset. Taxon: Synoum.
International Plant Names Index. 2019. Synoum. Published online. Accessed: Jun 4 2019.

Synoum is a monotypic genus of evergreen tree in the family Meliaceae. It is endemic to Australia where it is found along the eastern sub-tropical to tropical coast, usually on the margins of rainforests, in Queensland and New South Wales.

The genus was originally described by French naturalist Adrien-Henri de Jussieu in 1830.[1]

The only species recognized is Synoum glandulosum, known commonly as scentless rosewood.[2] It resembles the related Toona, except that the leaves have 5-9 leaflets, whereas Toona has 8-20. Its fruit matures December to January and is a reddish three-lobed capsule that contains two or three seeds surrounded by a red aril. Germination from fresh seed is reliable and relatively fast. It is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants.[3]

The timber of Synoum is used in local construction as sawn timber for general house framing, flooring, mouldings and joinery. It is also used for furniture, shop and office fixtures, panelling, turnery, carving, as structural plywood, scaffold planks, wood wool, paper products, particleboard, and medium density fibreboard.

Gallery

Bark on a large Synoum tree

Synoum flower buds

Synoum flowers

Synoum fruit

Base of a 15 metre tall Synoum

Synoum - juvenile foliage

References

"Synoum". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
"Synoum glandulosum (Sm.) A.Juss". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
Pennington, T. D.; Styles, B. T. (1975). "A Generic Monograph of the Meliaceae". Blumea. 22: 419–540.