Syzygium erythrodoxum (S.Moore) B.Hyland

Myrtaceae

Hyland, B.P.M. (1983) Australian Journal of Botany Supplementary Series 9: 81.

Misty Satinash

A small tree, occasionally exceeding 20 cm dbh.

Oil dots sometimes sparsely distributed. Leaf blades about 5.2-10.8 x 1.3-4.4 cm. Midrib grooved or depressed on the upper surface. Petioles about 0.3-1.2 cm long.

Inflorescence usually few-flowered, bracts deciduous, absent at anthesis. Calyx tube (hypanthium) + pedicel about 5-10 mm long, calyx tube (hypanthium) about 4-8 mm diam., calyx lobes +/- uniform, triangular, about 5-8 mm long. Petals shortly clawed, +/- orbicular, conchiform or spathulate, about 3-6 mm wide, oil dots visible, about 100 or more per petal. Outer staminal filaments about 13-26 mm long, glandular, anthers about 1 x 0.8 mm, gland terminal. Ovules about 10-30 per locule, placentas central, ovules radiating, ascending. Style about 15-28 mm long, approximating the stamens.

Fruits depressed globular or depressed transversely ovoid, often slightly bilobed, about 20-30 x 25-45 mm on the longer axis, calyx lobes persistent, about 5-10 mm long, pericarp fleshy to firm in texture. Seed solitary or two per fruit, shape varying depending on the number of seeds per fruit, +/- globular, about 10-20 mm diam., testa free from the cotyledons and scarcely attached to the pericarp, cotyledons uniformly textured. Radicle basal or lateral, cotyledonary stipules present.

Cataphylls about 3 pairs. First pair of true leaves ovate, base obtuse to cuneate. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade obovate, apex acuminate, base attenuate, glabrous; oil dots small, scattered to sparse. Midrib depressed on the upper surface. Seed germination time 34 to 52 days.

Endemic to Queensland, occurs in NEQ and CEQ. Altitudinal range mainly from 600-1500 m with occasional records of trees at lower elevations along creeks flowing out of the mountains. Grows in stunted windswept mountain rain forest or as an understory tree in well developed upland and mountain rain forest.

A shrub of small tree with high horticultural value but requires cool moist conditions to perform well. The showy flowers are usually cream, brown, pink or red.

This species has no commercial value as it does not grow large enough to produce useful logs. Wood specific gravity 0.90. Hyland (1983).

Eugenia erythrodoxa S.Moore, Jour. Bot. 55: 304(1917), Type: Qld, Bellenden Ker, L. S. Gibbs 6323; iso: NSW.