Alyxia orophila Domin

Domin, K. (1928) Bibliotheca Botanica 89(4): 1077. Type: Nordost-Queensland: auf dem Kamme des Bellenden-Ker und bis zu 1000 m herabsteigend (DOMIN I. 1910).

Chain Fruit

A small tree not exceeding 30 cm dbh.

Twigs and petioles produce a milky exudate. Leaves in whorls of four or five. Leaf blades variable in size, up to 5 x 2.5 cm, petioles about 0.3-0.7 cm long. Lateral veins about 10-20 on each side of the midrib, but very difficult to distinguish on fresh leaves. Margins of leaf blades often recurved and ending in a sharp point at the apex.

Numerous bracts present at the base of each flower. Flowers about 5-10 mm diam. Sepals about 2.2-3 mm long, glabrous except for the ciliate margins. Corolla tube about 5-8 mm long, outer surface glabrous, inner surface pubescent about the anthers, lobes about 3.5-5.5 mm long with the left margins overlapping. Corolla glabrous on the outer surface. Anthers about 1.2-1.5 x 0.4-0.5 mm, filaments about 0.1 mm long.

Fruits often moniliform (beaded), each bead about 7-8 x 4-6 mm.

First leaves in a whorl of four. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf margin recurved, +/- thickened, apex ending in a short sharp point. Seed germination time 42 to 305 days.

Endemic to NEQ, restricted to the tops of the higher mountains from Mt Finnegan to Mt Bartle Frere. Altitudinal range from 1100-1550 m. Grows in exposed situations in upland and mountain rain forests.