Lagunaria queenslandica Craven

Craven, L.A., Miller, C. & White, R.G. (2006) Blumea 51: 352

Pyramid Tree; Sugarplum Tree; Cowitch Tree

A tree to 20 m tall, bark dark grey to almost black. May flower and fruit as a shrub. Young growth, leaves and twigs covered in pale scales.

Leaves broad lanceolate to ovate, (4.5)6-10(-11.5) cm long x (1-)1.5-3.5(-4) cm wide. Covered in pale scales. Citrus smell when leaf crushed. Oil dots large and numerous. Lateral veins looping inside margins.

Flowers solitary, axillary. Epicalyx shed early. Flowers petals 45-68 mm long, pink aging to cream. Calyx 5-lobed. Staminal column 40-62 mm long, antheriferous portion of staminal column 8-13 mm long. Oil dots on sepals and petals. Pollen pale/white, filament recurved. Lobed glandular disk at base of ovary.

Capsules ovoid, 5-lobed, about 14-20 mm tall x 18-25 mm wide. Calyx persistent at the base of the fruit.  Seeds ca. 5 mm long x 3 mm wide, red-brown, hairless. Outside of fruit covered in large oil dots.

Features not available.

Endemic to Queensland, occurs in CEQ and infrequently in NEQ where it is recorded from Mary Valley near Laura. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 600 m. Grows in open forest and riparian vegetation along seasonal streams, and occasionally in deciduous monsoon forest.

Lagunaria patersonia var. bracteata Benth., Flora Australiensis 1: 218. Type: Queensland, near Port Denison, Fitzalan s.n. (Lecto K) (1863).  Lagunaria patersonia subsp. bracteata (Benth.) P.S.Green, Kew Bulletin 45(2): 242 (1990).

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