56 
A CHANGE OF NAME FOR 
A TIMBER TREE OF THE RAIN FOREST OF 
TROPICAL QUEENSLAND 
By W. D. FRANCIS 
Tristania pachyspcrma new combination. 
Xanthostemon pachyspermus F. Muell. and F. M. 
Bailey, Occasional Papers on the Queensland 
Flora, Part 1, 4, 1886. 
Tristania odor at a C. T. White and W. D. Francis, 
Botany Bulletin No. 22, 22, 1920, with plate. 
In 1S86, F. M. Bailey published a description of a 
tree under the name of Xanthostemon pachyspermus, and 
attached the names of F. Mueller and F. M. Bailey as 
authorities for the species. The specimens were collected 
on the Johnstone River by Dr. T. L. Bancroft. No 
flowers were available and the description was drawn 
up from fruiting specimens. The most readily available 
desci iption of the species is in the second part of F. M. 
Baileys “The Queensland Flora.” 
While recently determining some specimens from 
North Queensland I noticed that this species is identical 
with that described and figured by the late C. T. White 
and tile writer under the name of Tristania odoraia. 
The specimens were collected on the Johnstone River by 
Mr. ti. (1. Ladbrook. Flowers only were available and 
showed the stamens shortly united in five bundles 
opposite tile petals. It has this peculiarity which led to 
the specimens being described as a species of Tristania. 
it would appear thjjt the species is to be placed in 
Tristania rather than in Xanthostemon, and the revised 
name is Tristania pachysperma new combination. The 
tree belongs to the family Myrtacea.e. 
In tiie second edition of “Australian Rain-forest 
Trees," which is now in the press, the species is retained 
under Mueller and Bailey’s name as it was considered 
desirable to publish as few new combinations as possible 
in that work. The common names used are Yellow Penda 
and Sour Hardwood. Fp to the present there are nn 
field description of the tree. It attains sufficient size 
for sawmill ing and the Sub-Department of Forestry ad- 
vises that the timber could be used for indoor building 
purposes. The wood is greyish yellow and is lighter and 
softer than the other Pendas. 
