Shonia tristigma subsp. borealis Halford & R.J.F.Hend.

Euphorbiaceae

Halford, D.A. & Henderson, R.J.F. (2005) Austrobaileya 7: 220. Type: Queensland, Tozers Gap, 30 June 1994, P.I. Forster PIF15396. Holo: BRI; Iso: K, MEL, NSW, QRS.

Usually flowers and fruits as a shrub about 1-3 m tall.

Leaf blades about 35-45 x 4-9 mm, petioles about 2-4 mm long. Underside of the leaf blade densely clothed in short white hairs. Lateral veins scarcely visible on the upper surface. Terminal buds and young shoots viscous.

Flowers small, about 2-3 mm diam. Female flowers solitary, male flowers in racemes. Male flowers: Flowers with small and numerous stamens, crowded on a hemispherical receptacle. Anthers globose, filaments about 0.5 mm long. Female flowers: Flowers with three recurved style branches each about 1.5 mm long.

Fruit 3-lobed, about 6-7 mm diam., calyx persistent at the base. Seeds about 5-6.5 x 3 mm, testa smooth and shining. Caruncle dark brown to black. Embryo about 3 mm long, cotyledons longer than the radicle.

Features not available.

Occurs in CYP and NEQ. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 400 m. Usually grows in open forest and heath but occasionally found in or on the margins of vine thickets, monsoon forest and some of the drier types of rain forests.

The subspecies Shonia tristigma subsp. tristigma has only been recorded from Hinchinbrook Island. In the NT the related species Shonia territorialis is recorded from Arnhem Land.

Beyeria tristigma F.Muell., Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae 6: 181(1868), Type: Queensland. In insula Hinchinbrook-Island prope Rockinghams Bay. Dallachy.