Syncarpia glomulifera
(Sm.) Nied.
Myrtaceae
Kamptzia albens (A.Cunn. ex DC.) Nees
Metrosideros glomulifera Graeffer ex Sm.
Metrosideros propinqua K.D.Koenig & Sims
Nania glomulifera (Sm.) Kuntze
Syncarpia laurifolia Ten.
Syncarpia procera (K.D.Koenig & Sims) Domin
Tristania albens A.Cunn. ex DC.
Common Name: Turpentine Tree
Cultivated tree
Photograph by: Raffi Kojian
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
General Information
Syncarpia glomulifera is a tall tree, commonly growing 40 - 45 metres tall with occasional specimens up to 60 metres[
]. The straight bole has a thick, fibrous bark, it may reach a diameter of 100 - 150cm[
].
The tree produces a valuable and very durable timber, as well as an aromatic resin. It is cultivated as a timber crop in some areas and is also grown in areas such as southern India, Argentina and southern USA as a shade and ornamental tree[
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
167- Title
- A Field Guide to Australian Trees.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Holliday. I. and Hill. R.
- Publisher
- Frederick Muller Ltd.
- Year
- 1974
- ISBN
- 0-85179-627-3
- Description
- A well illustrated and very readable book, but it does not contain much information for the plant project.
,
265- Title
- Flora of the Sydney Region
- Publication
-
- Author
- Carolin. R. & Tindale. M.
- Publisher
- Reed. Australia.
- Year
- 1993
- ISBN
- 0730104001
- Description
- Concise flora with little beyond an extensive key, species descriptions, very brief habitat description.
Range
Australia - New South Wales, Queensland.
Habitat
Thrives best in valleys, on flats and in basins in locations varying from coastal lowlands to mountains and tablelands[
]. Often grows as an emergent near the margins of rainforest or in wet sclerophyll forest, often on heavier soils[
365- Title
- Flora of New South Wales
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/floraonline.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line resource giving a brief botanical description of all the native plants of New South Wales, their habitat and range, together with diagrams and photographs of the plants.
].
Properties
Medicinal Rating | |
Other Uses Rating | |
Habit | Tree |
Height | 30.00 m |
Cultivation Status | Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Syncarpia glomulifera is a plant of subtropical to tropical regions, within its native range it occurs naturally within the latitudinal range of 16 - 36°S at elevations between sea level and 900 metres[
]. In the temperate zone it is only likely to succeed outdoors in regions with hot summers and very mild winters. It grows best in areas where the mean maximum and minimum temperatures are within the range 18 - 28°c, though it can tolerate 8 - 36°c[
]. Even when dormant, it can be killed by temperatures falling to -5°c or lower[
]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall of 1,300 - 1,700mm, but can tolerate 1,000 - 2,000mm[
].
Prefers a sunny position[
]. Succeeds in most well-drained soils, preferring a medium soil of high fertility[
]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 6.5, tolerating 5 - 7[
].
Open growing trees tend to coppice along the stem producing long, narrow crowns[
].
A good bee plant[
167- Title
- A Field Guide to Australian Trees.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Holliday. I. and Hill. R.
- Publisher
- Frederick Muller Ltd.
- Year
- 1974
- ISBN
- 0-85179-627-3
- Description
- A well illustrated and very readable book, but it does not contain much information for the plant project.
].
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
The leaf ash and sap are used as an antiseptic[
1884- Title
- Phytochemical Profile and Antibacterial and Antioxidant Activities of Medicinal Plants Used by Aboriginal People of
- Publication
- Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine Volume 2016, Article ID 4683059, 14 pages
- Author
- Akter K. et al
- Website
- http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/4683059
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 2016
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
Agroforestry Uses:
Because the wood is very difficult to burn, the tree is planted in the midst of forests to form fire-stopping hedges[
].
The tree can be used to make a good screen[
157- Title
- Australian Native Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Wrigley. J. W. and Fagg. M.
- Publisher
- Collins. (Australia)
- Year
- 1988
- ISBN
- 0-7322-0021-0
- Description
- A lovely book, written in order to encourage Australian gardeners to grow their native plants. A little bit of information for the plant project.
].
The tree is of potential use in reforestation schemes[
490- Title
- Flora Vitiensis Nova
- Publication
-
- Author
- Smith. A.C.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden; Hawaii
- Year
- 1979
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A comprehensive flora of Fiji, often showing plant uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The flowers are a good source of food for bees[
167- Title
- A Field Guide to Australian Trees.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Holliday. I. and Hill. R.
- Publisher
- Frederick Muller Ltd.
- Year
- 1974
- ISBN
- 0-85179-627-3
- Description
- A well illustrated and very readable book, but it does not contain much information for the plant project.
].
Other Uses
An aromatic, orange-red oleo-resin is obtained from the tree[
601- Title
- The Useful Native Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Maiden J.H.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Turner & Co.; London.
- Year
- 1889
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Terse details of the uses of many Australian plants and other species naturalised, or at least growing, in Australia. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. Small tears of the resin can be found on the outside of mature fruits, whilst it also exudes from wounds made in the bark. It is best obtained, however, by felling a tree, when it exudes between the bark and sapwood in small drops, which may be scraped off, and the resin collected fairly continuously, and in a pure state[
601- Title
- The Useful Native Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Maiden J.H.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Turner & Co.; London.
- Year
- 1889
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Terse details of the uses of many Australian plants and other species naturalised, or at least growing, in Australia. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. It is remarkably like Venice turpentine (from Larix occidentalis), both in colour and in viscidity, with a very agreeable turpentine odour[
601- Title
- The Useful Native Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Maiden J.H.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Turner & Co.; London.
- Year
- 1889
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Terse details of the uses of many Australian plants and other species naturalised, or at least growing, in Australia. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. In degree and character it is something between those of Venice turpentine and Canada Balsam (from Abies balsamea))[
601- Title
- The Useful Native Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Maiden J.H.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Turner & Co.; London.
- Year
- 1889
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Terse details of the uses of many Australian plants and other species naturalised, or at least growing, in Australia. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The heartwood is red to reddish-brown; demarcated from the light-coloured sapwood. The wood is fine and even in texture; the grain usually interlocked; hard; strong and very durable in the soil. The resin in the wood makes it highly resistant to decay, termites and marine organisms. The wood is also very difficult to ignite. It is used for structural purposes, such as piles (often with the thick bark still attached), poles, girders, beams, wharf decking and heavy-duty floors, as well as for wagons, railway sleepers, posts etc[
,
,
601- Title
- The Useful Native Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Maiden J.H.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Turner & Co.; London.
- Year
- 1889
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Terse details of the uses of many Australian plants and other species naturalised, or at least growing, in Australia. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
,
713- Title
- Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.anbg.gov.au/cpbr/cd-keys/rfk/index.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An online resource giving botanical information, and a little bit about plant usage, for over 2,700 species of plants found in the Australian rainforest.
].
Propagation
Seed -
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