Gouania exilis K.R.Thiele

Thiele, K.E. & West, J.G. (1995) Austrobaileya 4: 414. Type: Australia. Queensland. Cook District: Iron Range, 15 June 1948, L. J. Brass 19192 (holo: CANB; iso: BRI).

A slender vine not exceeding a stem diameter of 2 cm. This species appears to grow during the wet season and die back in the dry.

Leaf blades about 3-9 x 1.8-5 cm, petioles about 2-12 mm long. Leaf blade margins sparsely toothed with a few teeth towards the base and the apex. Stipules filiform, about 2-5 mm long, hairy. Tendrils leaf-opposed.

Inflorescence a raceme or a raceme of fascicles. Male flower borne mainly towards the ends of the racemes while the hermaphrodite flowers are borne mainly towards the base. Flowers about 2 mm diam. Calyx tube (hypanthium) hairy, about 1.2 mm long. Sepals about 1 mm long, outer surface clothed in hairs, inner surface keeled. Petals about 0.9-1 mm long, hooded at the apex, each encompassing a stamen. Staminal filaments about 0.4 mm long. Pollen +/- translucent. Style shorter than the hypanthium. Style three-branched. Ovules one per locule.

Fruits 3-4-lobed, dehiscent, each fruit about 5-9 x 8 mm. Calyx lobes (5) persistent at the apex. Fruits split into 3, 2-winged segments about 7-9 x 8-10 mm, with a single seed in each segment. Seeds brown, about 2.5-4 x 1.5-2.5 mm. Testa covered in a clear or translucent waxy layer. Cotyledons green, about 1.5-2 x 1.2 mm. Radicle straight, about 0.4 x 0.3 mm.

Cotyledons orbicular to obovate, about 5-5.5 x 4-5-5 mm. Stipules of the first pair of leaves triangular, about 0.7 x 0.7 mm. Stems 4-angled with hairs on each rib. At the tenth leaf stage, leaf blade glabrous, narrowly cordate to lanceolate, apex acute, base cordate. Petiole hairy, about 5-7 mm long. Stipules narrowly triangular, about 2 x 1 mm. Stem longitudinally ribbed, glabrous or sparsely clothed in hairs. Seed germination time 99 days.

Occurs in CYP. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 150 m. Grows in monsoon forest and the drier more seasonal lowland rain forest and gallery forest. Also occurs in New Guinea.