Hollandaea porphyrocarpa A.J.Ford & P.H.Weston

Smith, L.S. (1956) Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland 67: 38.

Sayer's Silky Oak

Seldom exceeding 30 cm dbh. Oak grain in the wood and a corresponding pattern in the inner blaze.

Oak grain in the twigs. Leaf blades usually rather large, about 10-22 x 6-14 cm. Petioles somewhat swollen at their junction with the twig. Scattered peg-like teeth on the margin of the leaf blade.

Flowers pedicellate, common peduncle nil or very short. Tepals about 20-30 mm long. Hypogynous glands four, scutelliform. Ovary sessile, ovules about 12-16.

Fruits allantoid to somewhat cylindrical, about 8-10 cm long, with a solitary rib on one side. Seeds +/- quadrangular in transverse section, about 2.5-3 x 2-2.5 cm. Testa thin and papery.

At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade elliptic to obovate, margin serrate, teeth evenly spaced along the leaf blade margin, upper surface may have a few hairs along the midrib. Seed germination time 65 to 91 days.

Endemic to NEQ, restricted to the area around the Bellenden Ker Range and Mt Bartle Frere and the eastern edge of the Atherton Tableland. Altitudinal range from sea level to 800 m. Grows as an understory tree in well developed lowland and upland rain forest.

An attractive small tree with potential for parks and home gardens. The long racemes of pink or purple flowers provide a striking effect.