Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants - Online edition
Antirhea tenuiflora F.Muell. ex Benth.
Bentham, G. (1867) Flora Australiensis 3: 418. Type: Queensland. Rockingham Bay, Dallachy.
Antirhea; Crimson Berry; Guettardella
Blaze darkens considerably on exposure.
Inflorescence shorter than the leaves. Calyx about 2-2.5 mm, the lobes about 0.25 mm. Corolla tube about 6 mm long, more than four times the length of the corolla lobes. Corolla tube sparsely pubescent on the outer surface, but mainly glabrous on the inner surface (except near the base). Tips of the anthers just projecting beyond the corolla tube. Stigma 2-4-lobed.
Fruits about 10-15 x 7-10 mm. Endocarp with 3 or 4 longitudinal ribs or 3 or 4 lobes in cross section.
Cotyledons ovate, about 7-8 mm long, hairy on the upper surface mainly about the margin. Stipules present. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade +/- elliptic, densely hairy on both the upper and lower surfaces; petioles, terminal bud and stem densely hairy; stipules triangular, interpetiolar, hairy. Seed germination time 21 to 118 days.
Occurs in CYP, NEQ and CEQ. Altitudinal range from sea level to 1400 m. Grows as an understory tree in well developed rain forest on a variety of sites. Also occurs in New Guinea.
Fruit eaten by King parrots and Cassowaries. Cooper & Cooper (1994).
Leaf material of this species was active against some tumors. Collins et al. (1990).