Diospyros granitica Jessup

Jessup, L.W. (2014) Austrobaileya 9(2): 184-186. Type: Queensland. Cook District: State Forest Reserve 143, Kanawarra, Carbine Logging Area, 21 December 1988, B. Hyland 13792.

Tree to 15 m, not exceeding 30 cm dbh.

Leaf blades about 5-9 x 2-3.8 cm. midrib depressed on the upper surface. Secondary veins 7-11 pairs; highest order veins +/- parallel. About 5-10 flat glands towards the base of the leaf blade, on the underside on either side of the midrib. Buds and young shoots clothed in pale brown prostrate hairs.

Outer surface of the calyx and corolla densely clothed in pale prostrate hairs. Male inflorescence axes solitary or several in axillary fascicles, each with 3-5 flowers. Male flowers: calyx tube 1-1.5 mm long, lobes 4 or 5; corolla tub 1.5-1.7 mm long, lobes 4 or 5; stamens (15-)16(-17), fused in pairs in two whorls, and at base fused to corolla tube; pistillode 1 mm long. Female flowers: often 3 in each axil; calyx tube about 2.5-4 mm long, lobes 4 or 4, less than 1 mm long; corolla tube 1.5 mm long, lobes 4 or 5; staminodes 6-10, not paired, opposite and alternating with the petals, almost obscured by a tuft of long, pale brown, erect hairs; ovary 2.5 x 2 mm, clothed in prostrate hairs. Style divided near the apex into 4 stigmas. Style and stigmas about 2 mm long.

Fruits seated in a short truncate puberulous cup. Fruits globular to ellipsoid, about 10-18 mm long x 10-13 mm wide, 1-seeded; seeds 9-10 mm long.

'Durian' germination. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade elliptic to lanceolate, apex acuminate, base attenuate, midrib depressed on the upper surface; terminal bud clothed in pale, almost white hairs. Seed germination time 103 to 127 days.

Endemic to NEQ, occurs in the Mt Lewis-Mt Spurgeon area and at Mt Bartle Frere. Altitudinal range from 1100-1200 m. Grows in mountain rain forest on granite.

Diospyros sp. Mt Spurgeon (C.T.White 10677) Provisional Phrase Name].