Backhousia enata A.J.Ford, Craven & J.Holmes

Ford, A.J., Craven, L.A. & Brophy, J.J. (2005) Austrobaileya 7(1): 121-125. Type: Queensland. North Kennedy District: Alcock Forest Reserve, rafting access point No. 9, 5.2 km from Tully River Camping Area [NW of Tully], 14 January 2003, A.Ford 3792, G. Sankowsky & N. Sankowsky.

Single to multistemmed large shrubs or trees. Buttresses absent. Coppicing. Bark of main trunk rough, minutely fissured, more or less flaky, grey-brown. Branches on adult plants conspicuously winged.

Leaf blades about 24-38 x 11-18 mm, ovate to elliptic-obovate. Oil glands dense and conspicuous on each surface. About 8-12 main lateral veins forming loops with intramarginal vein. Adult twigs conspicuously winged. Leaves are aromatic with a menthol smell. New growth is red- purple.

Inflorescences in upper leaf axils, paniculate, 3-6 flowers.Flowers white, hairy on outside, glabrous inside. Petals about 1.8-2.0 x 1.6x1.9 mm, ovate to nearly orbicular.

Fruit, 2-2.2 x 2-2.3 mm excluding the calyx lobes; calyx lobes spreading, to 5 x 4 mm. Seeds 5-7 per locule, ca. 1 mm long, 3-faced with the abaxial face convex.

Features not available.

Endemic to NEQ, currently only known in the Tully River catchment. Grows in notophyll vineforest and rainforest on soils derived from rhyolite and basalt.

Leaves are aromatic with a menthol smell.