Dodonaea peduncularis "Stalked Hopbush" - Plant Profiles

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Dodonaea peduncularis

Scientific Name	Dodonaea peduncularis
Categories
Common Name(s)	Stalked Hopbush, Small-Leaf hopbush
Family	Sapindaceae

Description

"Dioecious spreading shrub to 2 m high." (Flora of Australia) Some variation occurs in the leaves of Dodonaea peduncularis.

"apex sometimes entire and acute or usually 3-toothed, rarely 4-toothed, the central tooth longest and usually recurved." (Flora of Australia)

Notes

Dodonaea peduncularis is obvious during Spring when its colourful capsules appear, depending on rainfall. We encounter it on gravelly ridges, often beneath trees such as Corymbia citriodora, Eucalyptus fibrosa and Corymbia trachyphloia. It bears some resemblance to Dodonaea viscosa subsp. cuneata; however, it is generally smaller and prefers poorer sites with lower water availability. The seed has rarely, if ever, been available for rehabilitation works and it may be difficult to harvest in larger quantities. Dodonaea is a very useful genus of plants due to their storable seed which germinates and establishes well on correctly chosen sites. Choices in small shrubs has been limited compared to canopy trees and so we see this as a problem to address.

Collection of seed can be achieved by the cutting of branches however the dry winged capsules can easily be harvested into plastic bins strapped to the waist and this method is more easily accomplished on the rugged sites where the plant grows. This method also ensures the ripest seed is collected. Unripe seed will appear in the end product with a brown colour rather than matt black.

Historical Notes

Distribution

Dodonaea peduncularis is distributed across New South Wales, southern and central Queensland. Occasionally found along the coast, however mainly in subcoastal and inland areas.