Sarcopteryx stipata

Description

Sarcopteryx stipata, known as the steelwood is a rainforest tree of eastern Australia. Occurring from the Bulga Plateau and Comboyne Plateau north west of Taree, New South Wales. As far north as Fraser Island off the coast of south eastern Queensland. The habitat is sub tropical rainforest. Though it sometimes occurs in the warm temperate rainforests on poorer soils. A member of the soap berry family. The generic name Sarcopteryx translates to "fleshy wing", as the fruit can be wing shaped. The seed is surrounded in fleshy yellow aril. Stipata means "surrounded".Named steelwood as the timber is very tough, hard and heavy, with an interlocked grain. Cupania is a plant genus in the family Sapindaceae.