Rockinghamia brevipes Airy Shaw

Airy Shaw, H.K. (1976) Kew Bulletin 31: 389. Type: Mt. Bellenden-Ker, S. Peak .., lat. 17 15 S., long. 145 50 E., rain forest, alt. 1500m, 11 Oct. 1974, Hyland 7778; holo: K.

Rockinghamia, Short Stalk; Short Stalk Rockinghamia

A small tree not exceeding 30 cm dbh, usually short-boled and poorly formed.

Leaf blades about 9-18 x 3.5-5 cm, clustered towards the end of the twigs in groups of 3-6 with sections of the twigs completely devoid of leaves and not showing any leaf scars. Midrib and lateral veins raised on the upper surface.

Inflorescences up to 17 cm long. Male flowers: Flowers perianth 3-5 mm long, stamens about 25-30 or more, filaments about 2 mm long, inserted in the hairy and glandular disk. Female flowers: Flowers perianth about 4-5 mm long, ovary about 3 mm diam., densely hairy. Styles about 2-3 mm long.

Capsules usually 3-lobed, about 10 x 20 mm, densely muricate. Seeds globose, about 9 mm diam.

Cotyledons +/- obovate or spathulate, about 12-15 mm long. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade narrowly elliptic, margin crenate, midrib raised on the upper surface; oil dots visible with a lens; stipules small, sparsely pubescent. Seed germination time 14 to 17 days.

Endemic to NEQ, restricted to the higher mountains, the Bellenden Ker Range, Mt Bartle Frere, Bell Peak and Lamb's Head. Altitudinal range from 650-1550 m. Grows in upland and mountain rain forest usually in stunted rain forest on windswept ridges.