Neostrearia fleckeri | |
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In flower at the Cairns Botanic Gardens | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Saxifragales |
Family: | Hamamelidaceae |
Subfamily: | Hamamelidoideae |
Tribe: | Dicorypheae |
Genus: | Neostrearia L.S.Sm. [2] [3] |
Species: | N. fleckeri |
Binomial name | |
Neostrearia fleckeri | |
Neostrearia is a monotypic genus - i.e. a genus containing only one species - of plants in the witch-hazel family Hamamelidaceae. It is the second described of three monotypic Australian genera in this family, the others being Ostrearia and Noahdendron . It is most closely related to these genera, as well as Trichocladus (4 species) from southern Africa and Dicoryphe (13 species) from Madagascar, and together these five genera form a distinct clade within Hamamelidaceae. [6]
The sole species in this genus is Neostrearia fleckeri, described in 1958 and endemic to the rainforests of northeastern Queensland, Australia.
Neostrearia fleckeri is a small tree growing to 10–12 m (33–39 ft) tall, and it may be buttressed. The leaves are simple and alternate, and measure up to 18 cm (7.1 in) long by 7 cm (2.8 in) wide. They are glossy green above and glaucous (chalky blue-green) below, with a petiole up to 12 mm (0.47 in) long and very fine, hair-like stipules about 4 mm (0.16 in) long. [7] [8] [9]
The inflorescence is terminal (i.e. it is produced from the very end of the branch) and it takes the form of a spike. It is about 20 cm (7.9 in) long, bearing about 40–50 small sessile flowers. The calyces are densely covered in very fine brown hairs, and about 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) long. The petals are creamy-yellow to white, about 15 mm (0.59 in) long and 2 mm (0.08 in) wide, with an irregular, crinkled appearance. [7] [8] [9]
The fruit is a dark brown, woody capsule about 15 mm (0.59 in) long by 10 mm (0.39 in) wide. Each of the two segments of the capsule contains one or two small black seeds about 10 mm (0.39 in) long. [7] [8] [9]
This species was described by the Australian botanist Lindsay Stuart Smith, based on material collected from Babinda Creek in 1949 by the Cairns medical practitioner, naturalist, and founder of the Flecker Herbarium, Dr. Hugo Flecker. Smith's paper was published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland in 1958. [4] [8] [9]
The genus name Neostrearia is a combination of "neo" meaning new, and Ostrearia, the pre-existing, closely related genus. The species epithet fleckeri is in honour of Hugo Flecker, who collected the type specimen. [9]
The distribution of this species is very limited, confined to coastal and sub-coastal parts of northeast Queensland from the Daintree River in the north, to near Innisfail, about 150 km (93 mi) south. [7] [8] [9] The recorded collections and observations suggest it only occurs at the two extremities of that range. [10] [11] It grows in well developed rainforest on lowlands and foothills up to 650 m (2,130 ft), often close to creeks and rivers. [7] [8] [9]
This species is listed by the Queensland Government's Department of Environment, Science and Innovation as near threatened. [1] As of 22 February 2024 [update] , it has not been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Agathis atropurpurea, commonly known as the blue kauri, and occasionally as the black kauri or purple kauri, is a species of conifer in the very ancient plant family Araucariaceae. The family was distributed almost worldwide during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, but is now mostly confined to the Southern Hemisphere. This species is endemic to a small part of northeastern Queensland, Australia.
Goniocheton arborescens, commonly known in Australia as Mossman mahogany, is a small tree in the mahogany family Meliaceae. It is native to rainforests of Malesia, Papuasia, Queensland and nearby islands.
Liparis fleckeri, commonly known as the slender sphinx orchid, is a plant in the orchid family and is endemic to Queensland. It is an epiphytic or lithophytic orchid with two thin leaves and up to twenty pale green or whitish flowers. It grows in rainforest at altitudes of 900 m (3,000 ft) or more in tropical far North Queensland.
Dendrobium fleckeri, commonly known as the apricot cane orchid, is a species of epiphytic or lithophytic orchid endemic to far north Queensland, Australia. It has cylindrical pseudobulbs with two or three dark green leaves and up to four apricot-coloured or yellowish green flowers with tangled white hairs on the edge of the labellum.
Melicope rubra, commonly known as the little evodia, is a species of small tree in the citrus family Rutaceae, native to New Guinea and northeast Queensland. It was originally described as Euodia rubra in 1900. It has trifoliate leaves and pink bisexual flowers arranged on branches below the leaves.
Baileyoxylon is a monotypic genus in the family Achariaceae. The sole described species is Baileyoxylon lanceolatum which is restricted to a very small part of the Wet Tropics of Queensland. It was described in the mid 20th century.
Atractocarpus hirtus, commonly known as the hairy gardenia or native loquat, is a plant in the coffee family Rubiaceae, a large family of some 6,500 species with a cosmopolitan distribution. This species is endemic to northeastern Queensland, Australia.
Ostrearia is a monotypic genus - i.e. a genus containing only one species - of plants in the witch-hazel family Hamamelidaceae. It is the first described of three monotypic Australian genera in this family, the others being Neostrearia and Noahdendron. It is most closely related to these genera, as well as Trichocladus from southern Africa and Dicoryphe from Madagascar, and together these five genera form a distinct clade within Hamamelidaceae.
Noadendron is a monotypic genus - i.e. a genus containing only one species - of plants in the witch-hazel family Hamamelidaceae. It is the third described of three monotypic Australian genera in this family, the others being Ostrearia and Neostrearia. It is most closely related to these genera, as well as Trichocladus from southern Africa and Dicoryphe from Madagascar, and together these five genera form a distinct clade within Hamamelidaceae.
Pseuduvaria froggattii is a rare species of tree which is restricted to a very small part of northeastern Queensland, Australia. It is a member of the custard apple and soursop family Annonaceae, and was first described in 1887. Despite the small range its status considered to be least concern.
Syzygium unipunctatum, commonly known as the rolypoly satinash, is a small tree in the family Myrtaceae. It is endemic to the rainforests of the Wet Tropics of Queensland.
Diploglottis harpullioides, commonly known as Babinda tamarind, is a rainforest tree in the lychee and maple family Sapindaceae which is found only in northeast Queensland, Australia.
Cleistanthus apodus, commonly known as the weeping Cleistanthus, is a tree in the family Phyllanthaceae native to New Guinea and northeast Queensland. It was first described in 1873 by the English botanist George Bentham in his seven-volume book Flora Australiensis.
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Rubus queenslandicus, commonly known as bramble-of-the-cape, rose-leaf bramble, or native raspberry, is a plant in the rose family Rosaceae which is endemic to a small part of northeastern Queensland, Australia, where it is found on the margins of highland forest. Prior to 1997, collections of this plant were identified as either R. rosifolius, R. fraxinifolius or R. muelleri/R. probus.
Diploglottis obovata, commonly known as blunt-leaved tamarind, is a plant in the family Sapindaceae endemic to central eastern Queensland, Australia. Until 1987 it was considered to be a form of the very closely related Diploglottis diphyllostegia.
Cupaniopsis flagelliformis, commonly known as brown tuckeroo or weeping flower tamarind, is a tree in the lychee, guaraná and maple family Sapindaceae which is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a small tree that inhabits drier or seasonal rainforests.
Gillbeea adenopetala, commonly known as Pink alder, is an evergreen tree in the largely southern hemisphere family Cunoniaceae. It was first described in 1865 and is endemic to a small part of Queensland, Australia.
Diploglottis bernieana, commonly known as Bernie's tamarind or large leaf tamarind, is a plant in the maple and lychee family Sapindaceae. It was first described in 1987 by the Australian botanist Sally T. Reynolds and is found only the Wet Tropics region of northeastern Queensland, Australia.
Diploglottis alaticarpa is a plant in the maple and lychee family Sapindaceae which is endemic to northeast Queensland, Australia. It was first recognised as a distinct species in 1994 and was formally described in 2014.