Whyanbeelia terrae-reginae Airy Shaw & B.Hyland

Airy Shaw, H.K. & Hyland, B.P.M. (1976) Kew Bulletin 31: 376. Type: Qld, Cook Dist, T R 55 Whyanbeel, lat. 16 deg 20 S., long. 145 deg 20 E., rain forest, alt. 150 m, 3 July 1974, Hyland 3052; holo: K; iso: QRS.

Blaze layering quite distinct.

Leaf blades about 10-14 x 3.5-5 cm. Lateral veins form loops well inside the blade margin. Young shoots and twigs clothed in short brown hairs. Crushed leaves may emit an odour like that of sarsaparilla.

Inflorescence about 6 cm long, not exceeding the leaves. Male flowers: Flowers with pedicels about 5-9 mm long, tepals about 1-1.5 mm long. Stamens about 50-55, staminal filaments about 2 mm long, inserted among the disk glands and long hairs. Disk glands about 0.7 mm long. Female flowers: Flowers with pedicels up to 9-14 mm long, tepals about 3-4 mm long, disk glands up to 2 mm long. Ovary about 3 x 2 mm, pubescent, ovules 2 per locule. Styles about 3-4 mm long.

Fruits globular, about 20 mm diam., disintegrating at maturity. Seeds about 12 x 5.5-6 mm. Embryo about 10 mm long, cotyledons green, flat, much wider than the radicle.

Cotyledons elliptic to elliptic-obovate, about 20-25 x 14 mm. At the tenth leaf stage: leaves ovate or elongate-ovate, apex acuminate, base cuneate, a few hairs present on the upper surface at least along the midrib; petioles, stem and terminal bud clothed in pale brown hairs. Seed germination time 14 to 15 days.

Endemic to NEQ, restricted to the area between the Daintree and Johnstone Rivers. Altitudinal range from 100-400 m. Grows in well developed lowland and upland rain forest.