Green Cross Code by Dipper

Puzzle explanation

Extra words in clues — see table below — led to pesticides, all in The Chambers Dictionary: dimethoate, benomyl, pyrethroid, Malathion® and carbaryl. In grid order, trees (which had to be marked with green crosses) were (with crossing words): alder (calc-sinter/dermestid), (d)eoda(r) (darraine/neoplasia), (a)lo(e) (plat/roi), shea (aid/dishearten), aspen (pentagon/carnassial), mango (pentagon/immane), sapan (tsaritsas/pantihose), (p)ipa(l) (painim/rinsed), (n)yss(a) (latescent/fly slip), palm (spar/calmer), elder (sterol/melder), (s)ouar(i), (pearlitic/dartrous), Tilia (pearlitic/Celia), teak (speedfreak/assimilate).

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Extra word Answer Explanation
Across
1 decision CALC-SINTER CATER about (L + C(limb) + SIN); L refers to an elevated railroad
10 immediate AMYL (MALADY – AD) *
11 Munich DARRAINE RAID NEAR *
13 Elgar’s REMIT ME < in RIT
15 trapezium PLAT L in PAT
16 Heptarchy AID Alternate letters (VARIED)
17 Organist MELISMATA (IS + MAT) in MELA
19 abandoned PENTAGON PEON about (N + TAG)
21 tactical URES (d)URES(s)
22 eating IDE RIDE – R
24 besieged TSARITSAS STRAITS * + AS
26 Especially ID AL-FITR IR about (DAL + FIT)
29 Not BET ABET – A
30 obvious ACRE A + C(alculation) + RE
32 monstrous PAINIM (ANIMIST – ST + P) *
33 yellowhammers LATESCENT CAN SETTLE *
34 leghorn SPAR SP + A(gainst) + R(are)
37 prevalent GLEN Hidden
38 youths STEROL (b)OLSTER(s) *
39 rustproof PEARLITIC (I REPLACE IT – E) *
40 explores MESA ME + AS <
41 treatment SPEEDFREAK FREED * in SPEAK
Down
1 healthy CARNASSIAL (ASIAN CARACALS) * – (A’ + CA)
2 Reason DERMESTID DID about (TERMITES * – IT)
3 Ornate CYMA (MAY + C(rack)) *
4 Impressionism INTENT IN + TENT
5 delaying NEOPLASIA (A LESION + A + P(oultice)) *
6 Michelin ERASER Hidden reversed
7 aimed DISHEARTEN IN TEARS HE’D *
8 leave UNITE Homophone (YOU) + NITE
9 Alaska KED Hidden
12 treacherous ROI (d)ROI(t)
14 hoax IMMANE IMMUNE, U changed to A
18 incredibly ASSIMILATE AS + SIMILA(r) + (ha)TE
20 otherwise PATIENCE PENCE about (AT + I); “at” is currency in Laos
23 nurses DARTROUS DR about ART + O’ + US
25 calico PANTIHOSE P(referred) + ANTI + HOSE
27 attack FLY SLIP SLY * in FLIP
28 routine RINSED TIREDNESS * – SET *
29 broadband BITT BT about IT
31 affecting CALMER CAL + MER(ino)
34 reall CELIA I in CELA
35 yoghurt MELDER RED < after MEL(on)
36 lacquer SPY ’S + P(earl)Y
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