Actephila bella P.I.Forst.

Phyllanthaceae

Forster, P.I. (2005), A taxonomic revision of Actephila Blume (Euphorbiaceae/Phyllanthaceae) in Australia. Austrobaileya 7(1): 65-66. Type: Queensland. Port Curtis District: Bulburin State Forest (S.F. 67 Bulburin), c. 400 m NW of junction of Granite & Boobook Creeks, 24, 32'S, 151 30'E, 17 April 1980, W.J. McDonald 3260, W.J. Fisher & P. Ryan (holo: BRI [2 sheets]).

Subshrub or small tree to 3 m tall. Branchlets glossy, cream-fawn, sparsely lenticellate with age, glabrous or with scattered to sparse simple hairs when young.

Leaves simple, alternate, glabrous or with sparse indumentum of simple hairs. Stipules present, scale like, ovate-triangular to 1.2 mm long. Petiole 0.3-4.7 cm long. Leaf blade elliptic-ovate, rarely obovate, 5.6-14.5 cm long, 2.3-6.1 cm wide, base obtuse to rounded, rarely subcordate and unequal, margins flat, apex acute to acuminate, rarely rounded. Midrib slightly raised above, prominently raised below at base of blade, tapering to flush toward apex. Lateral veins curving but forming only indistinct loops inside the blade margin.

Inflorescences are axillary and fasciculate. Both male and female flowers produced on the same plant. Buds in axils of leaves are often seen as gnarly clusters interspersed with scale like bracts. Male flowers: pedicels filiform, 13-15 mm long; sepals 5 (or tepals), fused for 2.5-3 mm, glabrous or ciliate in patches at the apices; petals 0-2 present, to 3 mm long, disk conspicuous; stamens 3-5. Female flowers: disk expanded, ovary superior, stigma 3 lobed.

Pedicels about 18 mm long. Capsules depressed-globose to subglobose, about 12-13 mm diam., strongly bullate, green. Sepals persistent at the base of the fruit. Seeds usually 6.

Features not available.

Endemic to CEQ, from Rockhampton region where it is known from Shoalwater Bay and Bulburin Forest Reserve. Grows in dry rainforest between 160 and 300 m.

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