Auranticarpa rhombifolia (A.Cunn. ex Hook.) L.Cayzer, Crisp & I.Telford

Cayzer, L.W., Crisp, M.D. & Telford, I.R.H. (2000) Aust. Syst. Bot. 13(6): 907-909.

Diamond leaf Laurel; Hollywood; Queensland Pittosporum; White Holly

Tree up to 25 metres. Bark pale grey, fissured, more or less corky.

Alternate, commonly clustered in pseudo-whorls behind terminal bud, without stipules; petioles short, 5-15 mm. Blades obovate to elliptic, coarsely toothed in distal half or entire, glabrous, 5-12 cm long, 3-5 cm wide; pinnately veined with 11-15 pairs of secondary veins each side of midvein; secondary veins distinct to raised on both surfaces; apex acuminate, blunt; base markedly attenuate.

In axillary corymbs or panicles; strongly fragrant; sepals 5, free, cream to white, 1-2 mm long; petals 5, free, much longer than sepals, white to cream, 5-6 mm long; stamens 5, free; anthers 2-3 mm long, dorsifixed on filaments that taper from a broad base; gynoecium superior and borne on a prominent gynophore; locules 2 (3).

An obovoid, yellow-orange capsule, opening to release one or more black seeds that are not embedded in a sticky matrix; locules 2 (or 3); placentation axile.

Seed germination time ca. 84 days. Cotyledons ovate or lanceolate, about 15-22 x 4-8 mm. First pair of leaves alternate, rhomboid or obovate, lobed or coarsely toothed towards the apex. Tenth leaf stage not available but probably: leaf blade margin toothed. Stem and petiole clothed in erect glandular hairs.

Endemic to Australia. Occurs in CEQ and southwards to north-eastern New South Wales. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 950 m. Grows in rainforest, semi deciduous vine thickets, and also open forests and woodlands.

Pittosporum rhombifolium A.Cunn. ex Hook., Icones Plantarum 7: t. 621 (1844). Type: A tree 60-80 ft high in shaded woods on the banks of the Brisbane River, Moreton Bay, Allan Cunningham 29 (holo: K; iso: BRI).

1214