Daphnandra melasmena

Description

Daphnandra melasmena, commonly known as the socketwood, or black-leaved socketwood is a rainforest tree in eastern Australia. It grows on the more fertile basaltic soils, often associated with the White Booyong. Found from near Bowraville, New South Wales in the south to the Tweed Valley further north. A small to medium-sized tree growing to 20 metres tall with a stem diameter of 30 cm. Daphnandra melasmena was first described by ornithologist Richard Schodde in 2000, having been known previously as Daphnandra sp. D. The specific epithet melasmena is derived from the Ancient Greek, referring to the leaves and stems turning black on drying.