Toechima monticola S.T.Reynolds

Reynolds, S.T. (1985) Flora of Australia 25: 202. Type: Mt Lewis, Qld, 16 deg 35 S, 145 deg 15 E, 11 Jan. 1977, B.Gray 218; holo: BRI; iso: QRS.

Mountain Toechima

A small tree seldom exceeding 20 cm dbh.

Leaflets about 4-10 in the compound leaf, each leaflet blade about 6-16.5 x 2.8-5.2 cm. Leaflet stalks swollen at their junction with the compound leaf rhachis. Young shoots brownish due to the presence of very small hairs which are scarcely visible with a lens.

Inflorescence about 4.5-18.5 cm long, approximating but not exceeding the leaves, pedicels about 4 mm long. Calyx lobes about 2.5 mm long, pubescent. Petals shorter than the calyx, about 2 mm long, with two large, hairy, glandular scales on the inner surface. Stamens eight. Staminal filaments hairy towards the base, about 2 mm or more long, inserted on the inner side of the yellow disk. Ovary pubescent.

Fruit subglobose, about 18-22 x 18-22 mm, outer surface puberulent or velutinous. Valves villous on the inner surface. Seeds about 13 x 12 mm. Aril at the base of the seed only.

First pair of leaves ovate, blades about 40-50 mm long. At the tenth leaf stage: leaflet blades ovate or elliptic, glabrous, midrib raised on the upper surface; leaflet stalks channelled on the upper surface; terminal bud and young shoot densely clothed in short, dark brown hairs. Seed germination time 8 to 17 days.

Endemic to NEQ, restricted to the area between Mt Spurgeon and the southern edge of the Atherton Tableland. Altitudinal range from 700-1200 m. Grows as an understory tree in well developed mountain rain forest.