Wilkiea angustifolia explained

Wilkiea angustifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Monimiaceae, and is endemic to Queensland. It is a dioecious shrub with elliptic leaves, male and female flowers on separate plants, male flowers with 4 stamens, female flowers with 8 to 20 carpels, and the fruit a purple to black drupe.

Description

Wilkiea angustifolia is a shrub or small tree that typically grows to a height of up to . Its leaves are narrow to broadly elliptic, long and wide on a petiole long, the edges of the leaves wavy or serrated. Male and female flowers are borne on separate plants, male flowers in leaf axils in clusters of 3 to 5, each flower on a pedicel about long with 4 stamens in 2 pairs. Female flowers are usually borne singly in leaf axils, long, sometimes with 2 or 3, or on the ends of branches on a pedicel long with 1 or 2 carpels and 4 to 13 ovules. Flowering occurs from November to May and the fruit is a purple to black, oval drupe, long and wide.[1] [2]

Taxonomy

This species was first formally described in 1892 by Frederick Manson Bailey who gave in the name Mollinedia angustifolia, in the Botany Bulletin, Department of Agriculture, Queensland, from specimens collected on Mount Bellenden Ker "at or about elevation".[3] In 1911, Janet Russell Perkins transferred the species to Wilkiea as W. angustifolia in Adolf Engler's Das Pflanzenreich.[4] [5] The specific epithet (angustifolia) means "narrow-leaved".[6]

Distribution and habitat

Wilkiea angustifolia grows in the understory of rainforest at altitudes between in north-east Queensland.

Conservation status

This specfies is listed as of "least concern" under the Queensland Government Nature Conservation Act 1992.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Wiffin . Trevor P. . Foreman . Donald B. . Wilkiea angustifolia . Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra . 6 May 2024.
  2. Web site: Wilkiea angustifolia . Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants . 6 May 2024.
  3. Web site: Mollinedia angustifolia . APNI. 7 May 2024.
  4. Web site: Wilkeia angustifolia . APNI. 7 May 2024.
  5. Book: Perkins . Janet R. . Engler . Heinrich G.A. . Das Pflanzenreich . 1911 . Wilhelm Engelmann . Leipzig . 27 . 7 May 2024.
  6. Book: Sharr . Francis Aubi . George . Alex . Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings . 2019 . Four Gables Press . Kardinya, WA . 9780958034180 . 133 . 3rd.
  7. Web site: Species profile—Wilkiea angustifolia . Gueensland Government Department of Environment and Science . 6 May 2024.