Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L01376:reg:2:p4
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L01376
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 2 (pt 4/8)
Character Range: 26861–29741

for settlement or agriculture, and regrowth has occurred. This situation confounds identification of Macadamia distribution, natural habitat, and has implications for distribution of genetic resources.
Figure 1. Natural distribution of Macadamia and natural hybrids
Note: Areas of vegetation are those remnants in 2005 in NSW (NSW Department of Environment and Heritage) and 2006 in Queensland (Queensland Herbarium). Dotted lines show the extent of hybrid zones. Star represents the approximate location of M. jansenii (adapted from Hardner et al. 2009).

Macadamia integrifolia (Queensland nut tree)

Description
Macadamia integrifolia is a long-lived perennial mid-storey to sub canopy evergreen subtropical rainforest tree to 25 m tall, with greyish branchlets dotted with raised lenticels (Hauser and Blok 1992). Individuals are often multi-stemmed with small crowns. The simple obovate to narrowly oblong leaves are arranged in whorls of three or opposite, and 5.5–14 cm long by 2.5–6 cm wide (Stanley and Ross 2002). Blade tips are rounded and finish in a short sharp point; the base tapers to petioles 5–10 mm long. Axillary creamy-white flowers are arranged in brush-like hanging racemes 10–30 cm long. Rounded fruits are green, 2.5–3.5 cm wide with a hard, smooth, brown inner shell protecting the edible nut. Flowering period is August to October with kernel maturation from December to March, with mature nuts falling to the ground thereafter.

Life history and ecology
Macadamia integrifolia is a long-lived species which matures at around ten years and has a juvenile period of more than six years (Queensland CRA/RFA Steering Committee 1997, cited in DoE 2019a). Trees (propagated from wild seed) over 100 years old are known; for example, the Walter Hill Tree, planted in the Brisbane Botanic Gardens, is at least 160 years old, and the Jordan Tree on the Gold Coast is thought to be over 140 years old (National Trust, 2013).
Knowledge of M. integrifolia response to fire has been gained through research to benefit the Macadamia industry. This has found that the species is highly susceptible to fire damage (O'Hare et al. 2004). A hot fire will burn the trunk, destroy the conductive tissue and cause gumming on Macadamia trees but if the cambium layer between the bark and the wood is killed, the tree may send up shoots from below the ground level and become multi-stemmed (Rosedale 1969). Neal (2007) considered multi-stemming in wild trees a response to stress or damage.
Both introduced European honey (Apis mellifera) and native bees (Tetragonula spp.) appear to be the main pollinators, with native bees being superior pollinators. Trees in orchards are rarely observed to produce seed from self-pollination (Neal 2007).
Seed dispersal is by small rodents, cockatoos and gravity fall, probably with some assistance from local stream flooding. The role of