Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants - Online edition

Rhodomyrtus trineura (F.Muell.) Benth. subsp. trineura


Herb (herbaceous or woody, under 1 m tall)
Shrub (woody or herbaceous, 1-6 m tall)
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Flower. © Barry Jago
Scale bar 10mm. © CSIRO
Family

Guymer, G.P. (1991) Austrobaileya 3(3): 378. Type: Autonym.

Common name

Rusty Ironwood; Ironwood, Rusty; Mallotwood; Rhodomyrtus, Rusty; Rusty Rhodomyrtus; Ironwood

Stem

Usually flowers and fruits as a shrub about 1-4 m tall.

Leaves

Leaf blades about 5-12 x 1.5-3.7 cm, underside densely or sparsely clothed in hairs. Two intramarginal veins, the inner one more obvious, about 2-5 mm from the margin. Oil dots rather variable, either numerous or sparse. Twigs and petioles clothed in pale brown hairs.

Flowers

Inflorescence shorter than the leaves. Flowers borne singly on stalks (peduncles) about 5 mm long. Calyx lobes pubescent, about 2.5-3 mm long. Petals obovate, about 7-8 x 5 mm, pubescent outside +/- glabrous on the inner surface. Ovary pubescent at the apex. Ovules about 6-10 per locule. Stigma capitate.

Fruit

Infructescence shorter than the leaves. Fruits globular, about 12-13 mm diam., calyx lobes persistent at the apex. Seeds flattened, about 1.5-2 mm diam. Testa reticulate. Embryo U-shaped.

Seedlings

Features not available.

Distribution and Ecology

Endemic to Queensland. Occurs in NEQ and CEQ. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 1300 m. Grows in disturbed areas in lowland, upland and mountain rain forests.

Synonyms
Rhodomyrtus trineura (F.Muell.) Benth., Flora Australiensis 3: 272(1867). Rhodomyrtus trineura (F.Muell.) Benth. var. trineura, Bibliotheca Botanica 89(4): 1028(1928). Myrtus trineura F.Muell., Fragm. 4: 177(1864), Type: Queensland, Peak Range, Rockingham Bay, 2 Mar. 1864, J. Dallachy 1; lecto: MEL. Fide G. P. Guymer (1991) Austrobaileya 3: 378.
RFK Code
3300
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