Lepiderema sericolignis (F.M.Bailey) Radlk.

Sapindaceae

Radlkofer, L.A.T. (1924) Repertorium Specierum Novarum Regni Vegetabilis 20: 29.

Silkwood

Usually grows into a small tree.

Leaflets about 6-8 in the compound leaf, each leaflet blade about 6-15 x 2-5 cm, leaflet stalks about 0.2-1 cm long. Lateral veins about 10-13 on each side of the midrib.

Inflorescence resembling a raceme and less than 45 mm long. Sepals about 1.5-2.5 x 1-2 mm. Petals spathulate, about 1.5-2.5 mm long. Male flowers with eight anthers on filaments about 1-1.5 mm long. Female flowers with eight staminodes. Ovary surrounded by a yellow or greenish-yellow disk. Stigma sessile.

Fruits globular, about 17-18 x 18-20 mm. Valves apricot to pink-red on the inner surface. Seeds about 9-10 x 7 mm, cotyledons green.

First pair of leaves compound with four to six sessile leaflets. Each leaflet about 21 x 9 mm with 1-2 pairs of teeth towards the apex. Compound leaf rhachis and petiole narrowly winged and marked by a number of reddish glands and ending in a terminal spine or process. Leaflet margin with a few obscure teeth towards the apex. At the tenth leaf stage: leaflet blades about six per leaf, narrowly elliptic, sessile or very shortly stalked. Compound leaf rhachis narrowly winged. Seed germination time 22 to 28 days.

Endemic to NEQ. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 900 m. Grows as an understory tree in lowland and upland rain forest.

Cupania sericolignis F.M.Bailey, - : (), Type: Mulgrave River, Bellenden-Ker Expedition; scrub about the Barron River, E. Cowley.