Niemeyera discolor Jessup

Jessup, L.W (2019) Austrobaileya 10(3): 331-332. Type: Queensland. Cook District: State Forest Reserve 143, Kanawarra, Carbine Logging Area, 24 November 1987, B.P. Hyland 13360 (holo: BRI; iso: CNS).

Plum Boxwood; Boxwood, Plum

Bark surface somewhat scalloped or dimpled. Branches usually very tough and difficult to break.

Leaf blade with a silvery sheen on the underside, much paler than the upper surface. Petioles and twigs produce a milky exudate. Terminal buds and young shoots clothed in brown or rusty brown, prostrate hairs. Midrib raised on the upper surface. Lateral veins curved throughout their length.

Inflorescence fasciculate, very short, much shorter than the leaves and usually shorter than the petioles. Flowers about 4-6 mm diam. Sepals about 3-4 mm long, hairy on the outer surface. Petals about 4-5.5 mm long. Ovary clothed in bright pink hairs.

Fruits +/- globular, quite large, up to 5-6 x 5-6 cm. Testa comparatively thin. Cotyledons thick and fleshy, pink towards the periphery.

First pair of leaves elliptic to lanceolate, apex acuminate, base cuneate, midrib raised on the upper surface, underside bronze or copper-coloured with numerous appressed, medifixed hairs. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade elliptic to slightly obovate, apex acuminate; a few hairs persist on the upper surface of older leaves. Leaf blade underside densely clothed in prostrate, silky, rusty brown hairs. Lateral veins about 10-12 on each side of the midrib and forming distinct loops inside the blade margin. Hairs on the stem, petiole, terminal bud and new shoot brown, hairs on the leaves much paler. Exudate milky. Seed germination time 26 to 51 days.

Endemic to NEQ, restricted to the area between Cooktown and the Atherton Tableland. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 1300 m. Grows in well developed rain forest on a variety of sites but is most frequently encountered in well developed mountain rain forests.