Gynochthodes podistra (Halford & A.J.Ford) Razafim. & B.Bremer

Razafimandimbison, S.G. & Bremer, B. (2011) Adansonia 33(2): 294.

Twining vine to 4 m high, rare a scandent shrub. Stem and main branches slender, more or less smooth to longitudinally striated, 3-6 mm diameter. Branchlets terete, scabrid, moderately dense to densely hairy, glabrescent.

Leaves petiolate, stipules interpetiolar, sheathing, 1-5 mm long, truncate at apex, moderately dense to densely hairy. Petioles 1-5 mm long. Blade narrowly obovate-elliptic or narrowly elliptic, 2.5-10 cm x 0.7-3 cm; base attentuate, margins entire, apex acuminate.

Flowers usually 4-merous (rarely 3 or 5), bisexual or possibly unisexual, sessile, in congested capitula with 2-4 capitula per umbel and 6-12 flowers per umbel. Calyx tube green. Corolla cream to yellowish, sparsely to densely hairy on outside.

Compound syncarprous drupe (formed by fusing of several carpels), orange when ripe, 8-10 mm wide, persistent calyx tubes prominent on surface. Each carpel containing several seeds.

Features not available.

Endemic to NEQ where it is known from the Mt Lewis-Mt Spurgeon area. Altitudinal range from 1000 - 1330 m. Grows in rainforest on soils derived from granite.

Differs from Morinda umbellata by its mature leaves that have a longer drawn out acuminate apex and antrorse hairs that are present on the branchlets, peduncles and abaxial leaf surface.

Morinda podistra Halford & A.J.Ford , Austrobaileya 6(4): 895 (2004). Type: Queensland. Cook District: Daintree River National Park, Black Mountain area, Daintree River headwaters, 25 May 1998, P.I. Forster PIF22959, R. Jago, R. Jensen & R. Booth.