Symplocos puberula
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Symplocos puberula | |
|---|---|
 | |
| in Eubenangee Swamp National Park | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Symplocaceae |
| Genus: | Symplocos |
| Species: | S. puberula |
| Binomial name | |
| Symplocos puberula | |
| Synonyms[2][3] | |
| |
Symplocos puberula is a plant in the family Symplocaceae found in northeastern Queensland, Australia. It is a tree up to 25 m (82 ft) tall with pubescent new growth (i.e. covered in fine soft hairs). The leaves are stiff, widest near the apex and tapered at the base (obovate), and they have a short "drip tip". They measure up to 15 cm (5.9 in) long and 6 cm (2.4 in) wide, and have 6–12 pairs of lateral veins either side of the midrib which curve forwards (i.e. towards the leaf tip) and connect to the next vein. The leaf edges are finely toothed in the distal half of the leaf blade.[4][5]
The inflorescence measures up to 7 cm (2.8 in) long and takes the form of a panicle or a raceme. The white flowers are small — the sepals are about 1.5 mm (0.06 in) long and the petals about 5 mm (0.2 in) long. They have about 50 to 70 stamens measuring up to 6 mm (0.24 in) long, and the style is about 4 mm (0.16 in) long. The fruit is a dark blue or black drupe with a persistent calyx at the apex, measuring about 10 mm (0.39 in) long and 6 mm (0.24 in) wide.[4][5]
This species can be found from the McIlwraith Range near Cooktown, south along the east coast to the area around Eungella. It inhabits well developed rainforest on metamorphic and basalt soils.[4][5]
