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I am trying to identify this medium arching shrub growing to about 1.5m high x 2m wide in the subtropical climate of the Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens in Brisbane, Australia. Unfortunately there was no label with it. The inflorescence is about 3cm across, a greenish yellow, and made up of many tentacle-like florets. I don't think it is an Australian native plant.

Inflorescence

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  • $\begingroup$ Best I could find is Maclura pomifera, but no pictures of this exact stage of development $\endgroup$
    – user39958
    Commented Apr 18, 2019 at 17:04
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    $\begingroup$ Opposite, pubescent leaves with acuminate tip and truncate base. White stipule in background. Inflorescence appears to be a compound cyme? Not sure if those are strange pubescent petals (unlikely?) or sepals or bracts in 7s. Initially made me think of Hamamelis flowers, but the yellow "tentacles" are not ribbon-like enough to be any Hamamelis I know or could find. Hmmmm $\endgroup$
    – theforestecologist ♦
    Commented Jun 30, 2019 at 19:14
  • $\begingroup$ @theforestecologist could it be Listea glutinosa? It is native to Australia. $\endgroup$
    – trinitrotoluene
    Commented Jul 9, 2020 at 9:09
  • $\begingroup$ @trinitrotoluene doesn't look the same to me. E.g., leaf base and flowers look different. geocities.ws/wessaaliens/species/laurel.htm $\endgroup$
    – theforestecologist ♦
    Commented Jul 9, 2020 at 17:29
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    $\begingroup$ @theforestecologist yeah you're right. I hadn't properly seen the leaf bases. Maybe op could post some more pictures from different angles. $\endgroup$
    – trinitrotoluene
    Commented Jul 9, 2020 at 17:33

1 Answer 1

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Finally, I found the info about this plant:

Common name: Buttontree

Botanical name: Terminalia pendula

Family: Combretaceae (Rangoon creeper family)

Flowering: June - September

Buttontree is a moderate sized tree with small leaves, which fall early in the dry season. Before falling the foliage of these trees turns a beautiful yellowish red. The leafy branches are pendulous and hang down gracefully. Leaves upto 3 cm appear in nearly opposite pairs. Tiny yellowish green flowers occur in spherical heads about 1 cm wide. Protruding stamens are prominently visible like a fuzz on the round heads. Fruits are sort of circular, clustered in round heads.

Source: Terminalia pendula - Buttontree

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  • $\begingroup$ This appears to be incorrect. You could try to update with explicit evidence, but I'm not convinced your species is correct $\endgroup$
    – theforestecologist ♦
    Commented May 4, 2023 at 14:01
  • $\begingroup$ You can try google searching the species, you will get the same result. Also, I reconfirmed my answer with my Botany Professors and its correct. $\endgroup$
    – Batch_Compiler15
    Commented May 9, 2023 at 7:50
  • $\begingroup$ I agree that Terminalia is incorrect. At a minimum, Terminalia lacks the long sepals(?) of this plant. Terminalia flowers also have a long style, while this plant has essentially no style. $\endgroup$
    – Darlingtonia
    Commented May 9, 2023 at 17:01
  • $\begingroup$ It's hard to find a match. Based on the shape, margin and venation of the leaves it could really be Terminalia but I think we need more information. $\endgroup$
    – pawelek zzz
    Commented Sep 14, 2023 at 15:15

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