Androcalva pearnii

Androcalva pearnii
Isotype in New York Botanical Garden
Conservation status
Critically Endangered  (NCA)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Malvales
Family:	Malvaceae
Genus:	Androcalva
Species:	A. pearnii
Binomial name
Androcalva pearnii (Guymer) C.F.Wilkins & Whitlock [1]
Synonyms [1]
Commersonia pearniiGuymer

Androcalva pearnii is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae and is endemic to the Blackdown Tableland National Park in eastern Queensland. It is shrub that forms suckers and has hairy new growth, wavy, oblong to elliptic leaves with rounded lobes on the edges, and groups of 3 to 8 white and cream-coloured to pale green flowers.

Description

Androcalva pearnii is a suckering shrub that typically grows to 0.3–1 m (1 ft 0 in – 3 ft 3 in) high and wide, its new growth covered with fine, star-shaped hairs. The leaves are oblong to elliptic, 10–50 mm (0.39–1.97 in) long and 6–16 mm (0.24–0.63 in) wide on a petiole 3–10 mm (0.12–0.39 in) long with narrowly triangular stipules 1–6 mm (0.039–0.236 in) long at the base. The edges of the leaves are wavy with 5 to 7 pairs of rounded lobes 1–10 mm (0.039–0.394 in) long and both surfaces of the leaves are covered with velvety hairs. The flowers are arranged in groups of 3 to 8 on a peduncle 1 mm (0.039 in) long, each flower on a pedicel 0.5–0.8 mm (0.020–0.031 in) long, with bracts 1–5 mm (0.039–0.197 in) long at the base. The flowers are white and cream-coloured to pale green and 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) in diameter with 5 petal-like sepals, the lobes 1.4–1.5 mm (0.055–0.059 in) long and wide. The petals are white, 1.3–1.5 mm (0.051–0.059 in) long, and there are 3 staminodes between each pair of stamens. Flowering occurs from September to December and in March. ^{[2] [3]}

Taxonomy

This species was first formally described in 2005 by Gordon Guymer who gave it the name Commersonia pearnii in the journal Austrobaileya from specimens collected by Paul Irwin Forster near Charlevue Lookout in the Blackdown Tableland National Park in 2005. ^[4] In 2011, Carolyn Wilkins and Barbara Whitlock transferred the species to Androcalva as A. pearnii in Australian Systematic Botany . ^[5] The specific epithet (pearnii) honours Professor John Pearn. ^[3]

Distribution and habitat

Androcalva pearnii grows in open forest on the Blackdown Tableland in eastern Queensland. ^{[2] [3]}

Conservation Status

Androcalva pearnii is listed as "critically endangered" under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992. It is not currently listed under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 . ^[6] The species has been nominated for assessment by the Threatened Species Scientific Committee. The assessment is expected to be completed by the end of October 2026 with the proposed listing of "critically endangered" under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 . ^[7]

References

1. "Androcalva pearnii". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
2. Blake, Trevor L. (2021). Lantern bushes of Australia ; Thomasias & allied genera : a field and horticultural guide. Victoria: Australian Plants Society, Keilor Plains Group. pp. 134–135. ISBN   9780646839301.
3. Guymer, Gordon P. (2005). "New species of Commersonia J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. (Sterculiaceae) from Eastern Australia and Vanuatu". Austrobaileya. 7 (1): 244–246. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
4. "Commersonia pearnii". APNI. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
5. "Androcalva pearnii". APNI. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
6. "Taxon - Androclava pearnii". WildNet. Queensland Government. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
7. "2025 Proposed Priority Assessment list (PPAL) - public nominations for TSSC review" (PDF). DCCEEW. DCCEEW. Retrieved 18 November 2025.