Maniltoa lenticellata

Maniltoa lenticellata
File:Maniltoa lenticellata - Silk Handkerchief Tree sprouting.JPG
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Subfamily:	Caesalpinioideae
Genus:	Maniltoa
Species:	M. lenticellata
Binomial name
Maniltoa lenticellata (C. T. White)

Maniltoa lenticellata is a flowering tropical tree in the Fabaceae family. It is native to tropical semi-deciduous rainforest and gallery forests in northern Queensland, some of the Torres Strait Islands, and New Guinea. Common names include: Silk Handkerchief Tree, Cascading Bean, Native Handkerchief Tree.

File:Maniltoa flower by Sandy Lloyd.JPG

Maniltoa lenticellata flower by Sandy Lloyd

Maniltoa lenticellata can grow up to 22 m (72 ft) tall but, more commonly, only reaches 10–12 m (33–39 ft). It has compound leaves with 2-4 pairs of leaflets. New leaves are folded inside dull red bracts and then released in a spectacular cascade of white foliage. The fruity-scented flowers which appear in north Queensland in September to October have 3 to 5 white-cream petals, and may be pollinated by marsupials or bats. They produce a brown pod 25–70 mm long by 18-50mm containing one brown seed in November to March. It is a favoured garden tree.

"Maniltoa lenticellata var. villosa Verdc. from New Guinea differs from var. lenticellata in having ovaries with dense, persistent hairs." Quoted from: [1]

References

• Beasley, John. (2009). Plants of Cape York: The Compact Guide. John Beasley, Kuranda, Qld., Australia. ISBN 978-0-9806863-0-2.
• Endress, Peter K. and Brigitta Steiner-Gafner. (1996). Diversity and Evolutionary Biology of Tropical Flowers. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521565103, ISBN 978-0-521-56510-3

External links

• Botanical information.
• General information.
• Images of flowering tree.