Backhousia tetraptera

Backhousia tetraptera
Conservation status
Critically endangered  (EPBC Act) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Myrtales
Family:	Myrtaceae
Genus:	Backhousia
Species:	B. tetraptera
Binomial name
Backhousia tetraptera Jackes [2]

Backhousia tetraptera is a tree in the family Myrtaceae. The only known population occurs at the foot of Mount Stuart near Townsville in Queensland, Australia. ^{[3] [4]}

The species grows to between 5 and 12 metres high often with multiple trunks that have a mottled flaking bark including grey, grey-brown and/or pink colouration. The leaves are simple and opposite and are 5.5 to 9 cm long and 1.5 to 3.8 cm wide. ^[3] The white flowers appear in clusters of 10 and have 56 to 65 stamens. Flowering is induced by the first significant rainfall of the wet season, appearing four weeks later. ^[3] The distinctive fruits are capsules with four wings that appear in clusters and fade from pink to white and dry to brown. ^[3]

The species was formally described in 2012. ^{[2] [5]} As of September 2024 ^[update] it was designated critically endangered under the EPBC Act. ^[1]

References

1. Backhousia tetraptera, Species Profile and Threats Database, Department of the Environment and Heritage, Australia.
2. "Backhousia tetraptera Jackes". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
3. "Backhousia tetraptera". The Society for Growing Australian Plants Townsville Branch Inc. 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
4. "Mystery Tree". The Society for Growing Australian Plants Townsville Branch Inc. 2012. Archived from the original on 13 May 2013. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
5. Harrington, Mark G.; Jackes, Betsy R.; Barrett, M. D.; et al. (2012). "Phylogenetic revision of Backhousieae (Myrtaceae): Neogene divergence, a revised circumscription of Backhousia and two new species" . Australian Systematic Botany. 25 (6): 409–414. doi:10.1071/sb12015. S2CID   56067440 . Retrieved 29 June 2014.