Plants of
South Australia
Atalaya hemiglauca
Sapindaceae
Whitewood
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Adelaide
Arkaroola
Ceduna
Coober Pedy
Hawker
Innamincka
Marla
Marree
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Oodnadatta
Renmark
Wudinna
Keith
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Botanical art

Kath Alcock paintings: 3

Prior names

Thouinia hemiglauca

Etymology

Atalya from 'atalay', the native name of Atalaya salicifolia in Timor. Hemiglauca from the Greek 'hemi' meaning half and 'glaucos' meaning silvery, bluish-green.

Distribution and status

Found in the north-east corner of South Australia in sandy soils in open woodlands in arid areas. Also found Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales. Native. Common in South Australia. Common in all other states.
Herbarium regions: Lake Eyre, Eastern
NRM region: South Australian Arid Lands
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)

Plant description

Glaucous shrub or tree to 5m high, glabrous except for the flowers. Leaves either paripinnate with 2-6 pairs of leaflets which are linear to oblong, entire to 20cm long and 2cm wide, or with leaves simple, oblong to ovate to 20 cm long. Flowers white in large panicles. Samara pubescent 3-4 cm long including the wing. Fruits are winged capsule to 4cm long including the wing, 2-3 joined together at the base. Seeds are dark-brown to red, globular seed to 5mm diameter.

Seed collection and propagation

Collect seeds between November and January. Collect mature capsules, those that are turning a pale straw colour and contain hard seed. Place the capsules in a tray and leave to dry for two weeks. Then rub the capsules by hand or with a rubber bung to dislodge the seeds. Use a sieve to separate the unwanted material. Store the seeds with a desiccant such as dried silica beads or dry rice, in an air tight container in a cool and dry place