Atractocarpus fitzalanii
Introduction '''''Atractocarpus fitzalanii''''', commonly known as the '''brown gardenia''' or '''yellow mangosteen''', is a species of  plant in the coffee and madder family Rubiaceae. It is found in coastal parts of tropical Queensland, Australia. The beautifully scented flowers and glossy foliage has seen this plant enter cultivation in gardens of eastern Australia.
Description The brown gardenia is a woody shrub or small tree usually growing up to  wide and  high, although it may reach up to  on occasions, and it has a smooth grey trunk up to  diameter. The large leaves are obovate to oval-shaped and may be up to  long by  wide, held on petioles up to  long. They are glossy dark green above, dull grey-green below, and have an opposite arrangement. The lateral veins number 6–7 pairs and subtend an angle of 50°–70° to the midrib. The new growth is a bright lime green in colour.This species is dioecious, meaning that male and female flowers are borne on separate plants. The inflorescences are panicles produced either terminally or in the leaf axils; male inflorescences have 15–30 flowers while female ones have up to 15 flowers. The fragrant white flowers measure about  in diameter with a corolla tube about  long.The globose fruit is a drupe, yellow-brown in colour and measuring up to  long by  wide, usually produced singly or rarely in a cluster of 3-4.In the subspecies ''tenuipes'' they are paler, measure up to  long by  wide, and produced in clusters of 3-7.The calyx is persistent at the apex of the fruit in both subspecies. ===Phenology===The subspecies ''fitzalanii'' flowers from October to February, and fruit ripen between September and March. Subspecies ''tenuipes'' flowers between October and November, while the fruit mature from May to August.
Taxonomy This species was originally described as ''Gardenia fitzalanii'' in 1860 by the German naturalist and Victorian state botanist Ferdinand von Mueller. The description was based on plant material collected by the Irish-born botanist Eugene Fitzalan during an expedition in August–October 1860 to find the mouth of the Burdekin River. In 1866 George Bentham transferred the species to the genus ''Randia'', where it remained for over 130 years. In 1999 the Australian botanist Christopher Francis Puttock published a revision of ''Atractocarpus'' in Australia, in which he gave this species its current combination.===Subspecies===Two subspecies are recognised:*''Atractocarpus fitzalanii'' subsp. ''fitzalanii''*''Atractocarpus fitzalanii'' subsp. ''tenuipes''===Etymology===The genus name ''Atractocarpus'' is derived from the Ancient Greek terms ''átraktos'', meaning "spindle", and ''karpós'' meaning "fruit", and refers to the spindle-shaped fruit of the type species. The species epithet ''fitzalanii'' was given in honour of the collector. The subspecies name ''tenuipes'' is from the Latin ''tenuipes'' meaning "slender legged", a reference to the slender pedicels displayed by the group.
Distribution and habitat ''A. f.'' subsp. ''fitzalanii'' is widespread in rainforest, monsoon forest, swamp forest, mangrove forest, and riparian forest from just south of Cooktown to just south of Mackay, at elevations from sea level to around . ''A. f.'' subsp. ''tenuipes'' is found in higher elevations and has a more restricted range than its parent, from near Cape Tribulation to the southern Atherton Tablelands, at altitudes from .
Ecology Moths visit the flowers soon after opening. The fruits are eaten by a variety of birds and animals, including the cassowary (''Casuarius casuarius'').
Cultivation Its bushy lush foliage and bright new growth, fragrant flowers and edible and tasty fruit give it horticultural potential in gardens in subtropical climates. It is suited to a shady position with good drainage in gardens, or moderately to brightly lit indoor spaces. In the city of Cairns, more than 280 of these have been planted as street trees.
Gallery File:Atractocarpus-fitzalanii-SF23249-01.jpg|HabitFile:Atractocarpus-fitzalanii-SF22259-01.jpg|FoliageFile:Atractocarpus fitzalanii 169439333.jpg|FruitFile:Atractocarpus fitzalanii 285127159.jpg|Cut fruitFile:Atractocarpus-fitzalanii-SF22259-02.jpg|Flowers
References
External links * * *  View a map of historical sightings of this species at the Australasian Virtual Herbarium*  View observations of this species on iNaturalist*  View images of this species on Flickriver