Phyllanthus clamboides (F.Muell.) Diels

Phyllanthaceae

Diels, F.L.E. (1931) Notizblatt des Botanischen Gartens und Museums zu Berlin-Dahlem 11 : 309.

Phyllanthus

Blaze odour like beans (Phaseolus vulgaris).

Leaves tend to be distichous and not spirally arranged on the twigs. Leaf blades variable in size but frequently about 14 x 7 cm. Stipules about 5-10 mm long, the base quite broad, persistent. The lateral veins curving but not forming distinct loops inside the blade margin. Midrib raised on the upper surface.

Pedicels filiform, flowers small, about 1.5-3 mm diam. Disk in male flowers consisting of three flat-topped cerebriform glands. Stamens united to form an androphore. Disk in female flowers continuous, somewhat lobed and conspicuously pitted. Tepals reflexed at maturity in the female flowers, hanging like a skirt around the pedicel.

Fruits depressed, +/- 3-lobed, 6-7 x 10 mm. Reflexed perianth and disk persistent. Seeds about 4 x 3 mm. Testa +/- smooth but finely transversely striate.

Cotyledons oblong, elliptic or ovate, about 8-10 x 5 mm, 5-veined at the base, midrib forked not extending to the apex. First leaves elliptic, glabrous. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade ovate, elliptic, apex bluntly pointed, base obtuse, glabrous. Midrib raised on the upper surface. Leaves produced on lateral branches which appear like compound leaves. Stipules small, triangular or ovate. Seed germination time 16 to 26 days.

Occurs in NEQ. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 800 m. Grows as an understory tree in well developed rain forest. Also occurs in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

Leichhardtia clamboides F.Muell., Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae 10: 68(1877), Type: In silvis primaevis secus flumen Daintrees River; E. Fitzalan. Hexaspermum paniculatum Domin, Bibliotheca Botanica 89(4): 870(1928), Type: Nordost-Queensland: Regenwulder bei Harveys Creek (DOMIN I. 1910).