Polyosma sp. Mt Lewis (B.Hyland 25241RFK)

Provisional HISPID phrase name.

Fine oak grain in the wood and a corresponding pattern in the inner blaze. White granular stripes in the outer blaze under the lenticels.

Leaf blades about 6.5-9 x 2.5-4 cm. Lateral veins forming loops inside the blade margin. Midrib depressed on the upper surface. Leaf bearing twigs, terminal buds and petioles densely clothed in pale brown torulose hairs.

Calyx pubescent on the outer surface, lobes about 0.3-0.4 mm long. Corolla about 11 mm long, sericeous on the outer surface. Staminal filaments about 6-7 mm long. Style about 10 mm long, stigma terminal, +/- peltate.

Fruits sparsely puberulent, +/- globular, about 10-13 x 10-13 mm. Seeds about 5-7 x 5-7 mm, mucronate at the apex.

Cotyledons sessile, linear, about 7-8 x 1 mm. First pair of leaves ovate, margin serrate, hairy on the upper and lower surfaces. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade elliptic, apex acute, base cuneate, margin serrate, hairy on both the upper and lower surfaces; stem, petioles and terminal bud clothed in erect pale hairs. Seed germination time 236 to 243 days.

Probably endemic to NEQ, known only from collections from the Mt Spurgeon-Mt Lewis area. Altitudinal range from 1000-1100 m. Grows in well developed mountain rain forest.