Elaeocarpus elliffii explained

Elaeocarpus elliffii, commonly known as mountain quandong, is a species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae and is endemic to north-east Queensland. It is a tree, sometimes with buttress roots at the base of the trunk, narrow egg-shaped leaves often with large domatia, flowers with five white petals with lobed tips, and more or less spherical fruit.

Description

Elaeocarpus elliffii is a tree that typically grows to a height of NaNm (-2,147,483,648feet), often with buttress roots at the base of the trunk. The leaves are narrow egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, long and wide on a slender petiole long. The leaves usually develop up to five large domatia and have wavy-toothed edges. The flowers are borne in groups of up to twelve on a rachis up to long, each flower on a pedicel long. The flowers have five egg-shaped sepals long and wide. The five petals are white, elliptic to oblong, long and wide with six to nine irregular short teeth on the tip, and there are thirty to thirty-five stamens. Flowering occurs from October to September and the fruit is a more or less spherical or oval drupe long and wide, present from July to October.[1] [2]

Taxonomy

Elaeocarpus elliffii was first formally described in 1984 by Bernard Hyland and Mark James Elgar Coode in the Kew Bulletin from material collected in 1970. The specific epithet (elleffii) honours Maurice Elliff (1921–1981), an employee of the herbarium at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew from 1977 to 1981.[3]

Distribution and habitat

Elaeocarpus elliffii is endemic to north-east Queensland, and is widespread from near Cooktown to Tully where it grows in rainforest at altitudes of NaNm (-2,147,483,648feet).[2]

Conservation status

Mountain quandong is listed as of "least concern" under the Queensland Government Nature Conservation Act 1992.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Hyland . Bernard . Coode . Mark J. . Elaeocarpus in Australia and New Zealand. . Kew Bulletin . 1984 . 39 . 3 . 577–580.
  2. Web site: Elaeocarpus elliffii . Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research . 11 February 2021.
  3. Web site: Elaeocarpus elliffii. APNI. 11 February 2021.
  4. Web site: Species profile —Elaeocarpus elliffii . Queensland Government Department of Environment and Science . 11 February 2021.