Lysiphyllum cunninghamii (Benth.) de Wit

Growth Form

Lysiphyllum cunninghamii (Benth.) de Wit grows as a shrub or tree reaching up to 12 meters in height, and occasionally reaches up to 18 meters.

Bark Characteristics

It has grey fissured or tessellated bark.

Inflorescence and Flowering Period

Its inflorescences grow axillary on old wood, and bright red flowers appear between April and October.

Seed Pod Development

Large reddish-brown seed pods develop after flowering, from November to January.

Flower Pollinator Attraction

Nectar produced by the flowers attracts honeyeaters and native bees.

Leaf Phenology

This species drops its leaves during the dry season, and new leaves often emerge just before the rainy season begins.

Leaf Morphology

Its leaves have two lobes that are joined in a shape resembling butterfly wings.

Soil Preference

This plant occurs on red alluvial sandy and loamy soils.

Habitat Types

It grows most often in watercourses, on levees, flood plains, pindan, and along the margins of monsoonal forests.

IBRA Distribution Range

It is found within the following IBRA bioregions: Central Kimberley, Dampierland, Gascoyne, Great Sandy Desert, Northern Kimberley, Ord Victoria Plain, Pilbara, Victoria Bonaparte, and Katherine Region.

Fodder Use

The leaves and pods of Lysiphyllum cunninghamii are high in protein and minerals, and are used as fodder for livestock.

Wildlife Shelter Provision

The tree’s dense, weeping growth habit provides shelter from daytime heat for wallabies and other animals.

Wood Cooking Use

Fires made from this tree’s wood burn without producing smoke, so the wood is commonly used for cooking.

Windbreak Use

Its branches are used to create windbreaks.

Traditional Nectar Use

Aboriginal people traditionally suck nectar from the tree’s flowers.

Traditional Medicinal Use

They prepare a decoction from the tree’s roots and inner bark, which is applied to the skin as an antiseptic and drunk to treat fevers and other illnesses.

Ash Chewing Use

Ash from the tree is mixed with chewing tobacco and chewed.

Traditional Sweet Gum Production

Another traditional use involves mixing the tree’s sap with its nectar to create a chewy, sweet gum known as "Turkish delight".