Syzygium glenum Craven

Craven, L. (2003) Blumea 48: 482. Type: Queensland, Daintree River Region, Turpentine Rd, 21 June 1996, W. Cooper & W. Cooper 979; Holo: CANB; Iso: QRS.

Satinash

Grows into a large tree often with adventitious roots around the base. A white or pale layer usually visible beneath the dead bark before the outer blaze is encountered. Outer blaze darkens markedly on exposure.

Leaf blades about 11-17 x 4.5-5.5 cm, margins undulate, petioles about 1-3 cm long. Lateral veins very numerous, about 25-35 on each side of the midrib, intramarginal veins two with an additional rather obscure intramarginal vein scarcely visible near the leaf blade margin. Oil dots sparsely distributed, usually one per reticulation, visible with a lens.

Panicles terminal and in the upper leaf axils, panicles about 15 cm long approximating or exceeding the leaves. Bracts deciduous, absent at anthesis. Calyx tube (hypanthium) gradually tapering into the pedicel. Calyx tube (hypanthium) + pedicel about 6-7 mm long, calyx tube (hypanthium) about 4-5 mm diam. Calyx operculate, apex mucronate, operculum about 2 mm long. Petals four, +/- orbicular, two +/- clawed and two +/- sessile. Oil dots difficult to distinguish, in the petals. Anthers about 0.4 x 0.4 mm, opening by slits, no gland apparent. Inner staminal filaments about 2-4 mm long, outer filaments about 6 mm long, staminal filaments glandular. Placentas confined to the apex of each locule. Ovules pendulous, three per locule, Style about 5-6 mm long, approximating or shorter than the stamens.

Fruits about 50-75 x 55-70 mm, +/- depressed globular, rusty brown in colour, longitudinally ribbed. Apex depressed or flat with a tonsure-like scar. Pericarp hard and leathery, gritty in texture. Seeds about 45-60 mm diam. Cotyledons massive, fused together with a haustorium-like intrusion from the apex. No obvious testa.

About 6-10 cataphylls produced before the first pair of true leaves. First pair of true leaves elliptic, ovate to oblong, glabrous, petiolate. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade, about 14-15 x 6 cm, lateral veins numerous with about 18-20 on each side of the midrib and forming an intramarginal vein or double intramarginal vein well inside the margin, glabrous. Petiole about 7 mm long, deeply channelled on the upper surface. Seed germination time 44 to 93 days.

A rare species, endemic to NEQ, known only from collections made between the Daintree River and Cape Tribulation. Altitudinal range quite small, from near sea level to about 100 m. Grows in well developed lowland rain forest.