Wilkiea austroqueenslandica

{{Short description|Species of shrub}}

{{Speciesbox

|image = Wilkiea austroqueenslandica flowers.jpg

|image_caption = Flowers and fruit

|status_system =

|status =

|genus = Wilkiea

|species = austroqueenslandica

|authority = Domin{{cite web |title=Wilkiea austroqueenslandica |url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/88287 |publisher=Australian Plant Census |access-date=7 May 2024}}

}}

File:Wilkiea austroqueenslandica.jpg

Wilkiea austroqueenslandica, commonly known as smooth wilkiea or furry-flowered wilkiea,{{cite web |last1=Wiffin |first1=Trevor P. |last2=Foreman |first2=Donald B. |title=Wilkiea austroqueenslandica |url=https://profiles.ala.org.au/opus/foa/profile/Wilkiea%20austroqueenslandica |publisher=Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra |access-date=7 May 2024}} is a species of flowering plant in the family Monimiaceae, and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a spreading shrub or small tree with egg-shaped to elliptic leaves, male and female flowers on separate plants, male flowers with about 30 stamens, female flowers with about 35 carpels, and the fruit is a glossy, olive-black drupe with an orange fruiting receptacle.

Description

Wilkiea austroqueenslandica is a shrub or small tree that typically grows to a height of {{cvt|1–5|m}}. Its leaves are egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base to elliptic, {{cvt|60–210|mm}} long and {{cvt|20–70|mm}} wide on a petiole {{cvt|5–15|mm}} long, the edges of the leaves irregularly toothed and with a prominent mid-vein. Male and female flowers are borne in leaf axils on separate plants, male flowers in clusters of 7–9, {{cvt|20–30|mm}} long, the individual flowers {{cvt|4–5|mm}} in diameter on a pedicel about {{cvt|8|mm}} long, with about 30 stamens. Female flowers are borne in clusters of 7–9, {{cvt|30–50|mm}} long, the individual flowers {{cvt|5–7|mm}} in diameter on a pedicel about {{cvt|10–15|mm}} long, with about 35 carpels. Flowering occurs from July to December and the fruit is a glossy, olive-black drupe, {{cvt|15–22|mm}} long and {{cvt|10–15|mm}} wide, with an orange fruiting receptacle {{cvt|10–15|mm}} in diameter.{{cite web |last1=Harden |first1=Gwen J. |title=Wilkiea austroqueenslandica |url=https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Wilkiea~austroqueenslandica |publisher=Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney |access-date=7 May 2024}}

Taxonomy

Wilkiea austroqueenslandica was first formally described in 1926 by Karel Domin in Bibliotheca Botanica, from specimens collected on Tamborine Mountain.{{cite web |url=https://id.biodiversity.org.au/name/apni/508853 |title=Wilkiea austroqueenslandica |website=Australian Plant Name Index (APNI) |publisher=Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government |access-date=7 May 2024}}

Distribution and habitat

This species of Wilkiea grows in rainforest at altitudes up to {{cvt|850|m}} from the McPherson Range in south-east Queensland to the Richmond and Tweed Rivers in north-eastern New South Wales.

References