Actephila traceyi P.I.Forst.

Phyllanthaceae

Forster, P.I. (2005) Austrobaileya 7: 87. Type: Queensland, Leo Creek, Timber Reserve 14, McIlwraith Range, 21 June 1995, P.I. Forster PIF 16894. Holo: BRI. Iso: MEL.

Shrub to 3 m tall.

Leaves glabrous. Leaf blades about 5.5-17 x 2.3-6.6 cm, obovate to oblanceolate, rarely elliptic-ovate. Petioles about 0.3-2.3 cm long, deeply grooved on the upper surface. Stipules narrow triangular to trianglar to 1.8 mm long. Blade with 11-16 lateral veins on each side.

Inflorescence an axillar fascicle, single sex or with both male and female flowers. Male flowers: pedicels 5-16 mm long; sepals 5, ovate-spathulate, 3.5-5 mm long, ciliate in dense apical patch and with occasional marginal cilia; petals absent or 1, narrow-oblong to oblong-spathulate, 1-2 mm long; disk conspicuous, fleshy, 5-angled; stamens 5, filaments 2.5-3.8 mm long, 0.2-0.3 mm diameter, anthers globose-ovoid, 0.4-0.8 mm long, 0.2-0.5 mm wide. Female flowers: pedicels filiform, 10-22 mm long, 0.7-1 mm diameter; sepals 5, spathulate, 3.5-4 mm long, 2.2-3 mm widem glabrous; petals absent, disk conspicuous, fleshy, 1.5-2 mm high, 5-6 mm diameter, annular; ovary not seen; styles 3m simple short, connate at base, ca. 2 mm long, stigmas subcapitate.

Pedicels 15-35 mm long, 0.7-1 mm diameter; capsules depressed-globose, rounded, 11-15 mm long, 16-24 mm diameter, strongly bullate, green; columella 7-11 mm long. Seeds 10-14 mm long, 7-12 mm wide, pale olive tan to olive green; hilum 3-5 mm long, caruncle narrow-oblong, 2-4 mm long, cream.

Features not available.

Endemic to CYP. Grows at altitudes between 100m and 300m in 'seasonally dry' rainforest (semi-deciduous, complex notophyll to mseophyll vineforest) along watercourses on alluvium derived from granites or metamorphics or a combination of the two substrates.