Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 12, 2026

Sphalmium

Sphalmium is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the protea family. The only species, Sphalmium racemosum, is a large forest tree. Common names include satin silky oak, mystery oak, Mt Lewis oak, poorman's fishtail oak and buff silky oak.

Last revised
Jun 12, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
288 w
Citations
18
Source
Sphalmium
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Embryophytes
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Spermatophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Proteales
Family: Proteaceae
Subfamily: Grevilleoideae
Genus: Sphalmium
(C.T.White) B.G.Briggs, B.Hyland & L.A.S.Johnson
Species:
S. racemosum
Binomial name
Sphalmium racemosum
(C.T.White) B.G.Briggs, B.Hyland & L.A.S.Johnson12345
Synonyms

Orites racemosa C.T.White1

Sphalmium is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the protea family.1235 The only species, Sphalmium racemosum, is a large forest tree. Common names include satin silky oak, mystery oak, Mt Lewis oak, poorman's fishtail oak and buff silky oak.35

The tree grows to 30 m (100 ft) or more. It is endemic to the upland rainforests of the wet tropics region of northeastern Queensland, Australia.235

History

Botanists Barbara Briggs, Bernie Hyland and Lawrie Johnson named the new genus, updated the description and named the new species combination in 1975.24 They based the new species combination name on Cyril T. White's 1939 description of Orites racemosa, now a synonym.1

References

References

  1. White, Cyril T. (1939). "Orites racemosa". Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland. 50: 85.
  2. Briggs, Barbara G.; Hyland, Bernie P.M.; Johnson, Lawrie A.S. (1975). "Sphalmium, a distrinctive genus of Proteaceae from north Queensland". Australian Journal of Botany. 23 (1). pp. 165–172, fig. 1. doi:10.1071/BT9750165.
  3. Hewson, Helen J. (1995). "Sphalmium". In McCarthy, Patrick (ed.). Flora of Australia: Volume 16: Eleagnaceae, Proteaceae 1 (online version). Flora of Australia series. CSIRO Publishing / Australian Biological Resources Study. pp. 342–343, Figs 81, 159, Map 394. ISBN 978-0-643-05692-3.
  4. "Sphalmium racemosum". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Canberra, Australian Capital Territory: Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
  5. F.A. Zich; B.P.M Hyland; T. Whiffen; R.A. Kerrigan (2020). "Sphalmium racemosum". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants, Edition 8. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). Retrieved 5 March 2021.