Triflorensia ixoroides (F.Muell.) S.T.Reynolds

Reynolds, S.T. & Forster, P.I. (2005), A taxonomic revision of Tarenna Gaertn. and Triflorensia S.T.Reynolds (Rubiaceae: Ixoroideae: Pavetteae) in Australia. Austrobaileya 7(1): 47, 49-52, Fig. 5, Map 3.  Type: Rockhampton, s.dat.,Dallachy s.n. (lecto: K’ isolecto:MEL) fide McGillivray (1972) [as Ixora trifloraiR.Br. ex Benth. Nom illeg.]

Shrub or small tree to 12 m high. Bark smooth or slightly rough, pale grey to pale brown; branchlets slightly 4 ridged near apex, sparsely minutely hairy, becoming hairless, nodes dilated. Branching frequently supra-axillary, arising well above leaf axils.

Leaves simple, opposite. Stipules interpetiolar, triangular, 1-3 mm long, connate towards base, with a bead of resin at tip, prominent colleters present between stipules and stem. Petiole 2-6 mm long. Leaf blades elliptic to oblong-ovate, 1.5-4.5 (-6) cm long, 0.6-1.8 (-2.7) cm wide, base cuneate, margin entire, apex acute or obtuse. Venation of 5-9 pairs of lateral veins. Domatia absent. Surfaces hairless, upper surface dark green and glossy, lower surface paler.

Inflorescences terminal or axillary, resinous when very young, flowers solitary or in dichasial cymes, branches usually terminated by a triad of flowers with the central flower virtually sessile, the other two shortly stalked on pedicels 1-3 mm long. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic, 4-5 merous. Calyx tubular and up to 2 mm long, lobes c. 0.5 mm long. Corolla 4-6 mm long, slender, tubular with spreading lobes (3-4 mm long), hairy on inner surface, white to cream. Stamens 4 or 5 attached to petals in throat of corolla tube and anthers about half as long as corolla lobes; ovary inferior, 2-locular, stigma lobes recurved.

Fruit a drupe, sub-globose, 5.5-7 mm long, 5.5-10 mm diam., green turning black, crowned by persistent calyx. Stone or endocarp solitary, 2-locular, a few to several seeded; seeds sub-angular, obscurely pitted or reticulate.

Features not available.

Occurs in CEQ, from near Townsville southwards to south eastern Queensland. Grows on ranges and slopes in vineforest and dry rainforest.

This profile information and associated coding has been adapted from Reynolds & Forster (2005), and Harden et al. (2014).

Diplospora ixoroides F.Muell., Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae 9(80): 18, (1875). Ixora triflora R.Br. ex Benth., nom. illeg. non (G.Forst.) SeemFlora Australiensis 3: 416, (1866). Type: "Queensland. East coast, R.Brown; Broad Sound, Bowman; Rockhampton, Thozet, Dallachy. (1867). Tarenna triflora Ali & Robbr., nom. illeg., Blumea 35: 302, (1991). Tarenna sp. Ka Ka Mundi NP (W.J.McDonald + 4642), Reynolds, S.T. in Henderson, R.J.F. (ed.) Rubiaceae. Queensland Plants: Names and Distribution: 184.(1997).