Embelia grayi S.T.Reynolds

Reynolds, S.T. (1991) Austrobaileya 3(3): 364. Type: Queensland, S.F.R. 194 Herberton, 17 28 S, 145 28 E, altitude 1000 m, 28 Nov. 1978, B. Gray 1153; holo: BRI; iso: BRI, QRS.

Vine stem diameters to 9 cm recorded. Dark red stripes often visible in the blaze.

Leaf blades about 4-9.5 x 3-6 cm, petioles about 0.6-1.2 cm long. Oil dots clear, mostly orbicular, some slightly elongated.

Female flowers: Inflorescence about 2.5-3 cm long. Flowers about 2.5-3 mm diam. Sepals about 1 mm long. Petals recurved, about 2 mm long. Staminodes attached to the petals. Ovary about 0.75 mm long. Style about 0.75 mm long, hooked at the apex. Ovules 3 per ovary, embedded in the basal placenta.

Fruits globular, about 5-6 mm diam., calyx persistent at the base and style persistent at the apex. Surface marked by numerous quite large oil glands. Seeds globular, about 4 mm diam., longitudinally ribbed or striated, dotted with depressions filled with gold-coloured oil or resin. Embryo gland-dotted, about 2.7-3.5 x 0.3-0.4 mm, transversely orientated in the seed. Cotyledons less than 0.5 mm long, much shorter than the radicle.

Cotyledons ovate, leaf-like, about 7-13 x 6-10 mm, apex usually acute but ending in a small notch. Cotyledon oil dots reddish, mainly occurring around the margins. Lower surface of the cotyledons clothed in short scattered hairs. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade elliptic to ovate, about 7-10 x 3-4.5 cm, margin toothed with about 13-18 teeth on each side. Upper and lower surfaces clothed in small inconspicuous glandular hairs. Oil dots in the leaf blade are either clear or reddish. Red dots are found mainly around the margin of the leaf blade while clear dots are found in the body of the leaf blade. Terminal buds and young stems clothed in short, brown, glandular hairs. Seed germination time 103 days.

Occurs in CYP and NEQ. Altitudinal range from 400-1150 m. Grows in well developed upland rain forest.