Essential Oils from the Leaves of Some Queensland Annonaceae

Journal of Essential Oil Research: JEOR, Mar/Apr 2004 by Brophy, Joseph, Goldsack, Robert, Forster, Paul

The genus Cyathostemma Griffith has 10 species in southeast Asia, Malesia and Australia (21). Cyathostemma was included in the Desmos group of annonaceous genera, which are characterised by valvate sepals and petals, anther connectives with truncate dilated apices, and one too many ovules that are arranged laterally (1). Other genera in this group include Desmos Lour., Dasymaschalon (Hook. f. et Thomson.) Dalla Torre et Harms, Polyalthia Blume, Polyaulax Backer, Oncodostigma Diels, Monocarpia Miq., Meiocarpidium Engl. et Diels, Exellia Boutique, Piptostigma Oliver, Unonopsis R.E.Fries, Uvariodendron (Engl. et Diels) R.E.Fries, Uvariastrum Engl., Polyceratocarpus Engl. et Diels and Dennettia Baker f. (1). A single species, C. micranthum (A. DC) J. Sinclair, is present in northeast Queensland where it is restricted to Cape York Peninsula; it also occurs in western Australia, Malesia and southeast Asia. A second species, C. glabrum (Span) Jessup ex Utteridge, occurs in the Kimberley region of western Australia and the Northern Territory (21). Cyathostemma micranthum is a small shrub or scandent liane that grows in semi-deciduous mesophyll or notophyll vineforest on substrates derived from laterized sandstones, granites or metamorphics. The butterfly Graphium agamemno ligatum (Rothschild) uses this species, as well as species from at least 13 other genera of Annonaceae, as a host-plant (3).

The genus Goniothalamus (Blume) Hook. f. et Thomson has between 50 and 100 species found from southeast Asia, through Malesia, into northern tropical Australia (1). Goniothalamus was included in the Pseuduvaria group of annonaceous genera. All are characterized by valvate sepals and petals with the inner petals mitriform and clawed, the numerous stamens and anther connectives with truncate dilated apices (1). This group also includes Richella A.Gray, Schefferomitra Diels, Melodorum Lour., Friesodielsia Steenis, Oreomitra Diels and Petalolophus Schumann. A single species, G. australis Jessup, occurs in Australia and is restricted to the wet tropics region of northeast Queensland where it is found from Mt. Finnigan in the north to Tarzali in the south (22). Goniothalamus australis forms a tree up to 30 m tall and grows in upland rainforest (complex notophyll to mesophyll vineiorests) on a variety of substrates, but predominantly granites and metamorphics.

The genus Mitrephora Hook. f. et Thomson has about 25 species in southeast Asia, Malesia and Australia (2). Mitrephora was also included in the Pseuduvaria group of annonaceous genera by Kessler (1). Only M. zippeliana Miq. has been found in Australia where it is restricted to northern Cape York Peninsula. This species also occurs in Malesia. Mitrephora zippeliana (Springwood) is a small tree growing to 8 m in height and is found in semi deciduous mesophyll or notophyll vineforest on a variety of substrates including laterized sandstones, granites and metamorphics. The species has quite large flowers that are unpleasantly perfumed. In the past, stems were soaked and bent for use as dinghy ribs (label data of K.J. White 1142 at BRI).