Xylosma sp. Mt Lewis (G.Sankowsky 1108)

Provisional HISPID phrase name.

Xylosma

A small tree. Cream or brown, hard, brittle textured stripes in the inner blaze.

Leaf bearing twigs usually with longitudinally elongated, pale lenticels. Leaf blades about 9-13.5 x 4-5.5 cm. Reticulate veins run +/- at right angles to the midrib. Petiole channelled on the upper surface.

Perianth about 2.5-3 mm long. Disk composed of numerous separate orange glands in both male and female flowers.

Fruit about 6-7 mm diam., perianth persistent. Testa +/- smooth.

Cotyledons obovate to orbicular, about 3-4 mm long. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade ovate, apex acuminate, base obtuse, margin serrate, teeth occurring along the entire margin of the leaf blade, glabrous; stipules minute. Seed germination time 17 to 20 days.

Probably endemic to NEQ, known only from the Mt Spurgeon-Mt Lewis area. Altitudinal range from 1000-1200 m. Usually grows along creeks and gullies among granite rocks and boulders in well developed mountain rain forest.