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Wilkiea pubescens

Family

Monimiaceae

Botanical Name

Wilkiea pubescens (Benth.) Whiffin & Foreman

Whiffin, T. & Foreman, D. (2007) Flora of Australia 2: 451. Type: ?.

Synonyms

Tetrasynandra pubescens (Benth.) Perkins, Botanische Jahrbucher 25: 569(1898), Type: ?. Mollinedia pubescens (Benth.) F. Muell., Syst. Census Australian Plants: 3(1883), Type: ?. Kibara pubescens Benth., Flora Australiensis 5: 290(1870), Type: Queensland. Rockingham Bay, Dallachy, Lecto: K, fide T. Whiffin & D. Foreman (2007).

Common name

Beech, Tetra; Tetra Beech

Stem

A small tree seldom exceeding 20 cm dbh. Oak-like grain in the wood.

Leaves

Leaf blades about 5.5-9 x 2-3.5 cm. Lateral veins forming loops well inside the blade margin with a tendency towards a double series of loops. Leafy twigs generally hairy. Oak grain in the twigs. Oil dots difficult to distinguish even with a lens.

Flowers

Inflorescence shorter than the leaves. Flowers about 3-4 mm diam. Tepals small and inconspicuous, inner surface of the receptacle glandular and pubescent. Staminal

Fruit

Receptacle slightly swollen, densely pubescent to villous. Fruiting carpels ellipsoid, about 13-14 x 9-11 mm. Seed about 12 x 8 mm. Embryo about 6 mm long. Cotyledons wider than the radicle.

Seedlings

Cotyledons broadly ovate, about 25 x 20 mm, apex obtuse, base obtuse, 3-veined. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade elliptic, apex obtuse, acute or mucronate, base cuneate, midrib just raised on the upper surface, teeth small, none or 1-4 on each side of the leaf margin, glabrous; petioles, stem and terminal bud clothed in short pale hairs.

Distribution and Ecology

Endemic to Queensland, occurs in NEQ. Altitudinal range from sea level to 1200 m. Grows as an understory tree in rain forest on a variety of sites but more frequently encountered in the drier or more seasonal rain forests.