Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants - Online edition
Uromyrtus tenella N.Snow & Guymer
Snow, N. & Guymer, G.P. () Systematic Botany 2001: 741. Type: Queensland, Cook district, Tinaroo Range, in vicinity of grid, Kauri Creek road, 19 Jan1986, G.P. Guymer 2034, holo: BRI.
A small tree not exceeding 30 cm dbh.
Scattered oil dots visible with a lens. Leaf blades rather small, about 3-5 x 1-2 cm, broadest below the middle and drawn out into a long tip at the apex. Lateral veins scarcely visible on the upper surface and midrib depressed on the upper surface. Leafy twigs slender, often less than 1 mm diam. Young twigs and terminal buds sericeous.
Inflorescence not exceeding the leaves, flower stalks (peduncles) long and slender, about 10 mm or more. Calyx pubescent, tube (hypanthium) about 2 mm long, lobes about 2 mm long. Petals +/- obovate, about 6-7 x 5-6 mm diam., +/- glabrous. Staminal filaments about 1.5-2.5 mm long. Anther connective extending beyond the apex of the anther, back of the anther marked by about 8-12 glands. Ovary apex finely pubescent. Numerous ovules per locule.
Stalks (peduncles) long and slender, about 15 mm or longer. Fruits globular, about 9-11 mm diam., mainly glabrous, calyx lobes persistent at the apex. Seeds +/- patelliform, about 2.5-3 mm diam. Embryo U-shaped. Testa relatively thick and hard.
Cotyledons +/- orbicular, about 3-4.5 x 4-6 mm, apex emarginate with a short peg-like gland at the base of the cleft. First leaves ovate, apex apiculate, upper and lower surfaces hairy. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade ovate or lanceolate, apex apiculate, base rounded, hairy on the upper surface and about the margin of the leaf blade; oil dots small, visible only with a lens; petiole, stem and terminal bud hairy. Seed germination time 27 to 42 days.
Endemic to NEQ, restricted to the Mt Spurgeon-Mt Lewis area and the Atherton Tableland. Altitudinal range from 550-1300 m. Grows as an understory tree in upland and mountain rain forest.