Neoroepera buxifolia Mull.Arg. & F.Muell.

Mueller, J. von (Aargau) in Candolle, A.L.P.P. de (ed.) (August 1866), Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis 15(2): 489  [tax. nov.]. Lectotype: In Nova Hollandia ad Prenchestic Creek (Bowman, a cl. Ferd. Muell. missa in hb. DC.!). Henderson, R.J.F. (1992), Studies in Euphorbiaceae A.L.Juss., sens. lat. 2. A Revision of Neoroepera Muell. Arg. & F. Muell. (Oldfieldioideae K~xhler & Webster, Caletieae Muell. Arg.). Austrobaileya 3(4): 622-624.

Shrub to 6 m tall. Stem indumentum of short upward facing (antrorse) or spreading hairs or glabrescent.

Leaves simple, alternate. Stipules present but small, to 0.3 mm long, sometimes falling off early. Petiole short and swollen, 1-2 mm long. Leaf blade narrowly to broadly ovate to elliptic, 1-4 cm long, 0.4-2 cm wide, base obtuse or cuneate, margin entire and sometimes recurved, apex acute and retuse with a small red callus at tip of midrib on lower surface, the callus often hairy and occasionally with a mucro.

Inflorescence in axillary clusters. Plant monoecious, flowers unisexual. Female flowers solitary and apical on a short axis with several male flowers below. Perianth lobes somewhat dimorphic, generally three small outer tepals (0.75-1.8 mm long, 0.65-1.2 mm wide) and three large inner tepals (2.2-3.2 mm long, 1.5-2.5 mm wide), although tepal number variable (4-7), tepals glabrous with ciliate margins. Male flowers on long slender pedicels, 4.5-8 mm long; stamens generally 6 although 4, 5 or 7 recorded, filaments glabrous; lobed disk present at base of filaments; pistillode absent. Female flowers on 9-25 mm pedicels; staminodes absent; ovary seated on a 3-lobed disk, ovules 2 per locule; style stout with large flattened stigma.

Fruit a capsule about 5-8 mm long, c. 6-7.5 mm diam., perianth lobes not persistent at the base of the fruit. Seed obloid (oblong in solid form) to ovoid, 4.2-5.1 mm long, smooth. Caruncle reduced to a small red coloured flap or cone-shaped outgrowth. Cotyledons much wider than the radicle.

Features not available.

Endemic to Queensland, occurs in CEQ along creeks and drainage lines around serpentinite hills and soils NW of Rockhampton. Usually grows in riparian vine thicket, vine forest, melaleuca or eucalypt woodland or open forest with rainforest species in the understorey.

Securinega muelleriana Baill. Adansonia 6:333 (1866) .Roeperia buxifolia Benth. Flora Australiensis 6: 117. (1873).

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