Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants - Online edition

Glochidion xerocarpum (O.Schwarz) Airy Shaw


Tree
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Scale bar 10mm. © CSIRO
Female flower, side view. © CSIRO
Family

Airy Shaw, H.K. (1981) Muelleria 4(3): 212.

Common name

Pin Flower Tree

Stem

Usually a small tree not exceeding 30 cm dbh.

Leaves

Leaf blades about 4-10 x 2-5 cm. Midrib raised on the upper surface. Leaf bearing twigs clothed in short tortuous hairs.

Flowers

Male flowers: Inflorescence without a peduncle and strictly axillary. Flowers without a disk. Female flowers: Flowers +/- sessile. Tepals about 2.5-3 mm long. Styles fused to form a hemispherical or button-shaped mass on the top of the ovary.

Fruit

Capsules about 10-lobed, flat or concave at the apex, about 15-20 mm diam., resembling a miniature Queensland Blue pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo).

Seedlings

Features not available.

Distribution and Ecology

Occurs in WA and NT. Altitudinal range from near sea level to about 100 m. Grows in rain forest, monsoon forest or beach forest. Also occurs in Malesia.

Synonyms
Phyllanthus xerocarpus O.Schwarz, Repertorium Specierum Novarum Regni Vegetabilis 24 : 87(1927), Type: Port Darwin, Mindel-beach, dry jungle (Bleeser no. 495).
RFK Code
873
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