Aidia cowleyi Puttock

Puttock, C.F. (2001) Malayan Nature Journal 55(1): 168. Type: Cowley Beach, North Kennedy District. Puttock; Graham UNSW15841, 7 Dec 1983. Holo: NSW; Iso: BRI, K, MEL, UNSW.

Usually grows into a small tree but also flowers and fruits as a shrub.

Leaf blades about 10-15.5 x 3-5 cm, petioles about 0.5-1 cm long. Stipules triangular, broad at the base and tapering to a point at the apex. Foveoles well developed, visible on both the upper and lower surfaces of the leaf blade. Hairs usually present around the opening of the foveole.

Flowers about 10-12 mm diam. Calyx tube (hypanthium) about 4 mm long, lobes about 0.5 mm long and broadly triangular. Corolla tube about 4-5 mm long, densely hairy just below throat, lobes about 5 mm long. Anthers 4-5 mm long on filaments less than 1 mm long. Stamens inserted at the top of the corolla tube. Style about 4 mm long. Two stigmatic branches(?) very thick and broad, about 3 mm long.

Infructescences much shorter that the leaves. Fruits ovoid, about 13-22 x 17-20 mm, calyx persistent at the apex. Seeds flat, +/- orbicular, about 2-3 mm diam. Embryo about 1.5 mm long. Cotyledons orbicular, about 0.5 mm diam., much wider than the radicle.

Cotyledons obovate or +/- orbicular, about 5-9 x 5-6 mm, stipulate, First pair of leaves opposite +/- elliptic, stipulate. Stem above the cotyledons clothed in long +/- erect white hairs. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade obovate, petiole very short. Stipules interpetiolar, triangular, about 3 mm long and drawn out into a point at the apex. Stem sparsely clothed in pale, arched hairs. Seed germination time 34 to 153 days.

Endemic to NEQ, mainly from near Cooktown to south of Innisfail. Also recorded near Bamaga. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 500 m. Grows as an understory tree in dry monsoon vine forest and coastal swamp forest.

Flowers have a strong but pleasant jasmine fragrance.