Casearia grayi Jessup

Jessup, L.W. () Flora of Australia 8: 385. Type: State Forest Reserve 194, adjacent to Portion 69, Herberton, Qld, B.Gray 1154; holo: BRI; iso: K, QRS.

Birch, Silver; Silver Birch; Display

Usually encountered as a small tree but has been recorded up to 50 cm dbh.

Circular and streaky oil dots usually visible to the naked eye but easily visible with a lens. Leaf blades about 6-9 x 4-5 cm. Stipules less than 2 mm long. Reticulate veins +/- at right angles to the midrib. Domatia, if present, are tufts of hairs.

Perianth lobes about 2-2.5 mm long. Stamens usually ten, five long and five short, staminodes ten. Staminal filaments pubescent.

Fruits about 15-20 mm long.

Cotyledons orbicular, about 10-12 mm diam. Oil dots very small and difficult to see. First pair of leaves toothed. At the tenth leaf stage: oil dots reddish, often streaky; stipules very small, triangular. Seed germination time 17 days.

Endemic to NEQ, known only from collections made on the Herberton Range, State Forest Reserve 194, Parishes of Western and Herberton and also the Ravenshoe area. Altitudinal range probably small, from 1000-1100 m. Grows in well developed mountain rain forest.