Queensland Umbrella Tree
Schefflera actinophylla (Endl.) Harms

Synonyms -

Family: - Araliaceae

Names:

Other Names:

Umbrella Tree

Summary:

An evergreen tree with umbrella like leaves composed of 7 to 9 leaflets radiating from the top of the long leaf stem. Standing above the foliage at the tips of branches, it has long sprays of red flowers, that produce large numbers of small, round, red-purplish fruit.

Description:

Cotyledons:

Two.

First leaves:

Saplings often have 3 smaller leaflets.

Leaves:

Composed of 7-16 leaflets arranged like the fingers on a hand.

Stipules - 50 mm long, fused, between petioles, ligulate.

Petiole - 150-400 mm long. Petiolules 40-80 mm long.

Blade - of leaflet, dark green, leathery, oblong to egg shaped, usually 80-300 mm long by 40-80 mm wide. Tip pointed. Sides convex. Base tapered.

Stems:

Up to 10 m tall, often many stemmed. Hairless.

Flower head:

100-200 mm diameter clusters of stalkless flowers concentrated near the ends of branches. Clusters on short, 1-25 mm long stalks with stipule like bracts underneath. Main axis (rachis) of cluster up to 600 mm long

Flowers:

Ovary - Inferior or semi inferior.

Calyx - Flat topped, 1 mm long.

Petals - Red, usually 12 but ranging from 7-18, 3-5 mm long.

Stamens - Same number as petals.

Anthers -

Fruit:

Dark red, ribbed, 3-5 mm wide drupe.

Seeds:

Roots:

Key Characters:

Hairless shrub or tree.

Leaves palmately compound, mature leaves >3 foliate.

Flowers sessile in umbels.

Adapted from Gwen Harden.

Biology:

Life cycle:

Perennial tree.

Physiology:

Reproduction:

By seed.

Flowering times:

Autumn in NSW.

Seed Biology and Germination:

Vegetative Propagules:

Hybrids:

Allelopathy:

Population Dynamics and Dispersal:

Spread by birds and intentional plantings. It will germinate in the forks of trees or the crowns of palms and grow as an epiphyte until the roots reach the ground.

Origin and History:

Native of northern Queensland and Papua New Guinea. Naturalised in NSW and NT.

Distribution:

NSW, NT, QLD.

Habitats:

Climate:

Tropical warm temperate.

Soil:

Plant Associations:

Significance:

Beneficial:

Ornamental

Detrimental:

Weed of bushland forming dense thickets that crowd native vegetation.

Naturalised in coastal areas of Australia and occasionally epiphytic on rainforest trees.

Invasive weed of the USA.

Toxicity:

Not recorded as toxic.

Symptoms:

Treatment:

Legislation:

None.

Management and Control:

Refrain from planting in coastal districts or other areas where it is likely to naturalise.

Thresholds:

Eradication strategies:

Seedlings and saplings can be manually removed.

Older trees can be controlled by applying a mixture of 1 part Access in 60 parts diesel to the base of the trunk. It sometimes takes a long time for the plant to die and re treatment may be required.

Alternatively, they may be cut down and a mixture of 1 part Garlon in 1 part water can be applied immediately to the cut stump.

Herbicide resistance:

None reported.

Biological Control:

Related plants:

No other weedy species in this genus.

Plants of similar appearance:

Kangaroo Apple, White Cedar, Tree of Heaven

References:

Bodkin, F. (1986). Encyclopaedia Botanica. (Angus and Robertson, Australia).

Everist, S.L. (1974). Poisonous Plants of Australia. (Angus and Robertson, Sydney).

Harden, Gwen J. (1991). Flora of NSW. (Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney). Volume 3. P87. Diagram.

Lamp, C. and Collet, F. (1990). A Field Guide to Weeds in Australia. (Inkata Press, Melbourne).

Lazarides, M. and Cowley, K. and Hohnen, P. (1997). CSIRO handbook of Australian Weeds. (CSIRO, Melbourne). #892.1

Randall, J.M. and Marinelli, J. (1996) Invasive Plants. (Brooklyn Botanic Gardens Inc. Brooklyn). P42. Photo.

Acknowledgments:

Collated by HerbiGuide. Phone 08 98444064 or www.herbiguide.com.au for more information.