Eupomatia barbata Jessup

Jessup, L.W. (2002) Austrobaileya 6: 333. Type: Queensland, Noahs Head area, Cape Tribulation, Oct. 1971, L.J. Webb & J.G. Tracey 10269; holo: BRI.

Small Bolwarra

Occasionally flowers and fruits as a shrub 1 m tall but often flowers when smaller.

Leaves distichous on zig-zag twigs. Leaf blades about 16-20 x 5-6 cm, petioles short, about 0.2-0.4 cm long. Lateral veins about 16-22, forming loops inside the blade margin. Oil dots clearly visible with a lens. A pair of ridges run down the twig from the base of each petiole.

Flowers about 4 cm diam. After the operculum is shed the floral parts can be seen arranged in concentric rings in the open flower. The adaxial surface of most perianth parts clothed in large domes glands. 1. An outer whorl of petal-like staminodes with ciliate margins. 2. A whorl of fleshy staminodes covered with warty glands. 3. A whorl of petal-like anthers. 4. An innermost whorl of reflexed anthers with margins clothed in dendritic hairs. Carpels fused to form a flat topped disk in the centre of the flower.

Fruits about 20 x 30 mm, soft when ripe, apex marked by small elongated scars. Seeds embedded in opaque flesh. Embryo small.

Cotyledons ovate to almost orbicular, about 11 x 10 mm. First pair of leaves alternate, obovate, apex obtuse, base cuneate to attenuate. At the tenth leaf stage: stem +/- zig-zagged with pairs of ribs or narrow wings running down the stem from the base of each petiole. Young twigs and terminal buds clothed in brown hairs. Leaves +/- oblanceolate, apex acuminate, base attenuate, lateral veins forming loops inside the blade margin. Seed germination time 37 to 77 days.

Endemic to Australia, occurs in NEQ from the Annan River to near Ingham. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 1100 m. Grows as a shrub in well developed lowland, upland and mountain rain forest.