An Occurrence of Aluminium Succinate in Cardwellia sublimis F. Muell.

Abstract

ALUMINIUM succinate has been found as a massive deposit in a cavity in the heartwood of Cardwellia sublimis F. Muell. (Proteaceæ), commonly known as northern silky oak or bull oak. This is a commercial timber tree restricted to the rain forests of tropical Queensland. The deposit occurred in a so-called ‘wind shake’ in a log from Jarra Creek near Tully, North Queensland. Inquiries from foresters and saw-millers indicate that such occurrences are rare. The log was about 10 ft. in girth, and the deposit apparently extended from the base to at least 25 ft. up the stem of the tree. A similar occurrence of aluminium succinate has been previously recorded¹ in Orites excelsa R. Br. (Proteaceæ), popularly known as silky oak or prickly ash, a timber tree of the subtropical rain forests of New South Wales. Basic aluminium succinate was also identified as a white deposit in the galleries of a longhorn beetle in timber of Qualea sp. (Vochysiaceæ) from South America².