186 RHIZOPHORACEAE 
C. brachiata (Lour.) Merr. 
Spreading tree to 25 m; bark corky, cream; stem 
occasionally with buttresses and adventitious roots. 
Petioles 8-15 mm long. Leaf blades discolorous, shiny 
above, oblanceolate to broadly elliptic, 73-156 mm 
long, 23-110 mm wide, margin entire or serrulate in 
juveniles, apex acute. Inflorescences of dichasial 
cymes; bracteoles 2-3, partially united. Flowers 3-4 
mm long. Sepals 5-8. Petals 5-8, suborbicular, 
clawed, c. 1.5 mm long. Stamens paired, unequal; 
anthers ovoid. Ovary inferior, ovoid, 5-8-locular, 
2-3 mm long; style filiform, c. 2 mm long; stigma 
Carallia 
discoid, lobed. Fruit globose, 5-7 mm diam., 
dark red to black. Seeds reniform, alveolate, not 
viviparous. Flowering: July - Oct; fruiting: Sept - 
Dec. Fig. 58 
Madagascar, India, SE Asia and New Guinea; in 
Australia widespread across the tropical region. 
Common in the DR in monsoon vine forests, riparian 
situations and occasionally open forests. Found on a 
variety of soil types. Fruit may be eaten raw. Wood 
used by Aboriginal people for spear shafts, spear 
heads, fighting sticks, axe handles and music sticks 
(Specht, 1958). 
CERIOPS Arn. 
Shrubs or small trees to 6 m; stem base buttressed. Stipules lanceolate. Inflorescences of 3-many- 
flowered dense cymes; bracteoles 2, with connate bases and broad apices. Calyx lobes 5(6). Petals 5(6), each 
embracing 2 stamens, involute. Stamens 10-12; anthers 4-locular. Ovary half inferior, 3-locular; style terete; 
stigma simple or obscurely 4-lobed. Fruit ovoid, calyx lobes spreading. Hypocotyl narrowly clavate, terete or 
angular. [Ballment er al., 1988] 
A genus of 3 species, widespread in the Old World tropics including the DR. 
1. Petals fringed; peduncle 5-8 mm long, rObUSt ........-ssesseseesseseseeseeseesneeseeneententecnceneeneeaenss C. decandra 
1. Petals with 3 clavate lobes; peduncle 10-20 mm long, slender, pendulous ............-++0+ 2 
2.  Hypocotyls 40-100 mm long, terete; fruit 8-12 mm long ..........ee 
2.  Hypocotyls 150-250 mm long, angular; fruit 15-25 mm long 
C. australis (C.T.White) Ballment, T.J.Sm. & 
J.A.Stoddart 
C. tagal (Perr.) C.B.Robinson var. australis C.T.White 
Bark light grey. Stipules 9.5-13 mm long. Petioles 
12-28 mm long. Leaf blades obovate, rarely elliptic, 
30-80 mm long, 14-38 mm wide, base cuneate, 
margins often involute, apex obtuse. /nflorescence 
resinous, 5-9-flowered; peduncle slender, 6-15 mm 
long; pedicel 0-2 mm long. Sepal lobes oblong, c. 5 
mm long, acute. Petals oblong, 2.5-4 mm long, 
margins cohering via marginal hairs, apex with 3 
clavate, c. 0.5 mm long lobes. Staminal filaments c. 
3 mm long; anthers c. 0.5 mm long. Style c. 4 mm 
long. Fruit 8-14 mm long, sepals reflexed. Hypocotyl 
terete, 40-120 mm long. Flowering: Apr - Nov; 
fruiting: June - Mar. Fig. 59 
Northern Australia and New Guinea. Common 
along the NT coast and in the DR. Often in 
monospecific stands at the driest margins of 
mangroves. Aborigines use an infusion of wood or 
ash to treat sores and infections (Smith & Wightman, 
1990). 
C. australis 
C. tagal 
C. decandra (Griff.) Ding Hou 
Bark brown, rarely grey or cream, smooth to flaky. 
Stipules 14-22 mm long. Petioles 7-20 mm_ long. 
Leaf blades slightly discolorous, elliptic-oblong, 30- 
98 mm long, 13-43 mm wide, base cuneate, apex 
obtuse or emarginate. Inflorescences 2-5-flowered; 
peduncle stout, angular, 5-8 mm long. Flowers 
sessile. Sepals ovate, c. 2.5 mm long. Anthers c. 1 
mm long. Style c. 1 mm long; stigma minutely 
4-lobed. Fruit ovoid-conical, 15-18 mm long, apex 
distinctly rounded, sepals erect or ascending. 
Hypocotyl strongly ridged, 90-150 mm long. 
Flowering: May - Nov; fruiting: May - Jan. Fig. 59 
Qld, New Guinea, India and Malaysia; widespread 
but not common in the DR and the NT. Occupies 
mid to rear zones of mangrove communities and 
never forms monospecifc stands. 
C. tagal (Perr.) C.B.Robinson 
Bark grey or occasionally brown, smooth, flaky 
at base. Stipules 8-20 mm long. Petioles 15-25 mm 
