Monococcus echinophorus F.Muell.

Mueller, F.J.H. von (1858), Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae 1(3): 47. Type: "Ad flumen Brisbane in silvis. Hill & Mueller."

Shrub to c. 3 m high straggling to erect, sometimes climbing. Stems ± longitudinally ridged when dry, sparsely pubescent, or sometimes moderately hairy but only on one side or in longitudinal strips.

Leaves alternate, simple. Stipules absent. Petiole 5-15 mm long, upper surface hair, channelled above. Leaf blades ovate, lanceolate or elliptic, 2.5-12 cm long, 1-5 cm wide; base cuneate, margin entire strongly undulate and sometimes ± crenulate, apex bluntly acuminate or retuse. Lateral veins 7-11 pairs. Leaf surfaces with sparse hairs. Crushed leaves with a strong unpleasant odour.

Inflorescences terminal or in upper axils, racemes to 30 cm long. Flowers unisexual, plants dioecious or monoecious, actinomorphic, 4-merous. Pedicels to 5 mm long, each flower with a lanceolate bract and 2 bracteoles; tepals 2-3 mm long, free. Male flowers with 10-20 stamens, free, no rudimentary ovary present; male inflorescence cream coloured at anthesis. Female flowers with a superior ovary, unicarpellate, covered with short hooked hairs and bigger hair-like processes that develop into hooked bristles. Style arising from the abaxial surface of ovary as an arching horn-like projection and covered abaxially with a ridge of hairs; female inflorescences green.

Fruit dry, an achene, 4-6 mm long, burr like with covering of hooked bristles, green to brown; seed solitary.

Features not available.

Occurs in CEQ, from near Proserpine southwards to central coastal New South Wakes. Grows in rainforest near the coast, or along banks of coastal streams. Also ocurs in New Guinea and New Caledonia.

This profile information and associated coding has been adapted from Cooper & Cooper (2004), Harden et al. (2014) and Hewson (1984).