About Harpullia alata F.Muell.
Harpullia alata F.Muell. is a tree that typically grows to a height of up to 4 m (13 ft), with new growth covered in rusty hairs. Its leaves are paripinnate, measuring 100–350 mm (3.9–13.8 in) long, and carry 6 to 10 elliptic to lance-shaped leaflets that are narrower towards the base. Most leaflets are 50–150 mm (2.0–5.9 in) long and 20–50 mm (0.79–1.97 in) wide, attached to a winged petiole 30–80 mm (1.2–3.1 in) long. Flowers are arranged in racemes that grow from leaf axils, and the racemes are 50–140 mm (2.0–5.5 in) long. The 7 mm (0.28 in) long sepals are covered in downy hairs, the white petals are 12 mm (0.47 in) long, there are 8 stamens, and the ovary is covered in soft hairs. The fruit is a sessile, broadly oval, yellowish capsule 18–24 mm (0.71–0.94 in) long, which holds two shiny chestnut brown seeds almost fully enclosed by a yellow to reddish aril. This is the only Harpullia species native to Australia that has both toothed leaflet margins and wings on the leaf stem. Common name winged tulip, this species grows in high altitude rainforest in gullies and on steep slopes, ranging from the McPherson Ranges in southern Queensland, where it is quite common, to the Clarence River in northern New South Wales.
