Helicia recurva Foreman

Foreman, D.B. (1986) Muelleria 6(3&4): 193-195. Type: Mt Spurgeon, North Queensland, ix.1936, C.T. White 10643 (flowering collection).

Tree to 10 m tall. Branchlets with reddish hairs towards tips, glabrescent lower down.

Leaf lamina elliptic to slightly obovate; apex acute to acuminate, base cuneate to attenuate; blade 5-13.5 cm long x 2-5.5 cm wide, bullate, leathery; margin recurved, entire or sparsely dentate towards apex; lateral veins 5-9 pairs; petiole 5-8 mm long.

Inflorescence axillary, 7-11.5 cm long, with reddish hairs; flowers sparse, pedicels 2 mm long, hairy; tepals 10-13 mm long, glabrous or sparsely hairy; hypogyneous glands rounded; ovary sparsely reddish-hairy; style glabrous.

Fruit ovoid, 5-11 mm long x 5-7.5 mm diameter, becoming dark blue.

Features not available.

Endemic to NEQ, known only from Mt Spurgeon. Altitudinal range from 900-1200 m. Grows as an understory tree in well developed mountain rain forest.

The taxonomic status is uncertain (in 2018) and the relationship with Helicia lewisensis requires further investigation.

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