Cryptocarya claudiana B.Hyland

Hyland, B.P.M. (1989) Australian Systematic Botany 2: 176. Type: B. Hyland 11499: Claudie River, 20.i.1982 (QRS, holotypus).

Claudie Laurel

A small tree not exceeding 30 cm dbh.

Twigs +/- terete (slightly fluted only when very young), clothed in straight, pale brown, appressed hairs when very young but soon becoming glabrous. Leaf blades about 8.5-16 x 3-6.5 cm, green on the underside, clothed in straight, white or pale brown, appressed hairs when young but soon becoming glabrous. Midrib raised (usually in a depression) on the upper surface. Petioles flat or shallowly channelled on the upper surface. Oil dots visible with a lens.

Inflorescence paniculate, not exceeding the leaves. Flowers faintly perfumed or sweetly scented. Perianth tube pubescent on the inner surface only near the apex. Tepals about 1.6-1.8 mm long, pubescent on the outer surface. Ovary and style glabrous.

Fruits usually ellipsoid, sometimes globular, about 14-16 x 11-13 mm. Cotyledons cream.

First pair of leaves ovate or lanceolate, about 55-70 x 22-32 mm, green on the underside. At the tenth leaf stage: a pair of cataphylls often occur low down on the stem very close to the cotyledon-petiole junction; leaves elongate-elliptic, glabrous on the upper surface; oil dots small, visible only with a lens. Terminal bud clothed in pink hairs. Seed germination time 18 to 27 days.

Endemic to CYP, restricted to the Iron Range and McIlwraith Range areas. Altitudinal range from sea level to 500 m. Grows in the drier or more seasonal rain forests.

This species has no commercial value as it seldom grows large enough to produce millable logs. Wood specific gravity 0.97. Hyland (1989).