Tapeinosperma

[Extract] Shrubs or small trees. Leaves simple, alternate to subopposite, often crowded towards the ends of branches, petiolate; lamina obovate to oblanceolate, base cuneate, venation obvious, glands globular, irregularly rounded to lineate. Inflorescence paniculate, arising from the axils of the uppermost leaves, bud scales lanceolate, caducous; pedicel length varies with the stage of development. Flowers bisexual, 5-merous, glands rounded and/or lineate; calyx deeply divided; corolla urceolate, tube longer than or equal to the lobes (Australian species), glands if present globose, dark red; stamens with filaments fused at base to the corolla tube, ligulate distally, anthers dorsifixed near base, longitudinally dehiscent; ovary superior, attenuating into a slender style which elongates after anthesis; stigma small and discoid; ovules in Australian species 4–7, embedded in placenta. Fruit a drupe, globose, reddish, numerous glands present, endocarp crustaceous often angled; style usually persistent. Seed one, size various, embryo transverse, thin, curved, cotyledons elongate

Plants of the Burra Range

The Burra Range section of the White Mountains National Park is a popular wildflower area between the small townships of Pentland and Torrens Creek, 276 km west of Townsville, northern Queensland, Australia. Entrance to the park is clearly marked on the Flinders Highway (refer GPS notes below). Canns Camp Creek camping ground is available for site booking. The diversity of plant communities and species is a result of the geological history of this area. It is part of the Galilee Basin dating from the late Carboniferous. The first sediments laid down were fluvial sandstones, and it is these as well as other sandstones and sediments that were subsequently laid down, that form the current plateau. Here the plateau is dissected frequently with deep gorges so that the sandstone is often exposed. Ironstone nodules are exposed in various areas as are lateritic pinnacles. These formations are rusty red in colour as they are particularly rich in iron. Soils in the area range from sandy to grey, yellow and red earths and various mixtures. This variation in topography together with the resulting mixtures of soils and different drainage patterns has resulted in a large diversity of plant species. The vegetation is dependent on soil type, hydrology and underlying geology, some 590 plant species have so far been recorded for the park. The Warang section of the park to the north of Torrens Creek is not as easily accessible as the Burra Range section. The turnoff for the road leading to the Warang section is approximately 10 km west of Torrens Creek. The signpost is marked Spring Hill Rd and White Mountains Rd. The plants listed in this book are arranged in groups and subgroups, as far as possible these are based on easily observed features such as habit and leaf. However, within each section there will be a mixture of styles/keys to families and/or species that have been recorded for the Burra Range section of the White Mountains National Park. Hence, you will find a section with all the gum trees and another section with all the wattles, the rest of the plants will be in groups based on common features. Included is a guide to the plants based on flower colour. Species included in this publication are supported by herbarium records supplemented by species noted by members of the Townsville Native Plants. The Warang section of the White Mountains National Park was extensively collected by Queensland Herbarium staff in 2003 (Thompson et al. 2003 Geography Monograph Series No. 3. The Royal Geographical Society of Queensland Inc. Brisbane. Pp 85–115). Many plants recorded for this section have been included as well as some species of interest that occur along the roadside from Pentland west to Torrens Creek and Bullock Creek en route to Hughenden. Bullock Creek is also crossed en route to Warang section. Refer to Atlas of Living Australia for localities of specimens lodged in Herbaria

Tetrardisia

[Extract] Shrubs or small trees to 3 m high, often slender. Leaves sessile or subsessile to petiolate; lamina usually elliptic to lanceolate, margin crenate, serrulate or ± entire, abaxial surface glabrous or pubescent, glands dark-coloured, chiefly globular. Inflorescences axillary or terminal racemes or panicles (non-Australian) with 4–20 flowers per inflorescence. Flowers bisexual, 4-merous, pedicels thin, papillate, reddish glands usually associated with all parts; calyx free or fused at base, margins often papillate; corolla white to pink, rotate, shortly fused at base, lobes imbricate in bud overlapping to the right; stamens free or inserted near the base, filaments very short, anthers sagittate, introrse, opening by longitudinal slits; ovary superior, globular to subglobular; style filiform, more than twice length of ovary; stigma punctiform; ovules few embedded in placenta, 1-seriate. Fruit a drupe, globular. Seed 1

Aegiceras

[Extract] Small trees or shrubs in maritime habitats. Leaves alternate to subopposite, petiolate; lamina coriaceous, obscurely glandular-punctate, margin entire. Inflorescence umbelliform usually on short shoots, or racemose (not in Australia). Flowers bisexual, 5-merous, ebracteate; calyx lobes imbricate, contorted, glandular-punctate; corolla fused at base, lobes imbricate, contorted, reflexed at maturity, hairs present in corolla tube; staminal filaments connate at the base and fused to the base of the corolla tube; anthers transversely septate, at maturity extending horizontally above corolla; ovary superior, slender, fusiform, placentation free central; ovules numerous, embedded in placenta; style terminal, glands at base; stigma punctiform. Fruit a dry indehiscent capsule, cylindrical, curved, style persistent. Seed 1, embedded in a resinous pulp, endosperm absent. Germination usually viviparous

Embelia

[Extract] Woody climbers and scramblers or vines; Australian species dioecious. Glands present in almost all organs, globular to lineate, pellucid, red or appearing black. Leaves distichous (not in Australia) or spirally arranged, petiolate; lamina glabrous, margin entire or crenate (not in Australia). Inflorescence axillary or terminal, racemose, paniculate or subumbellate, bracteate. Flowers pedicellate, 4 or 5-merous; calyx deeply-lobed, the lobes imbricate; petals greenish to white, free or slightly connate at base, imbricate or contorted, usually papillate on inner surface, glabrous on outside; stamens and staminodes inserted towards base of corolla, usually exserted in staminate flowers; anthers dorsifixed, longitudinally dehiscent, a cluster of large wart-like glands often present above point of attachment with the filament; ovary in male flowers minute, in female flowers globose to ovoid; ovules uniseriate, c. 4; style short, stigma broad, disc-like. Fruit a drupe, globose to subovoid, style persistent or scar present, black at maturity. Seed subglobular, endosperm usually ruminate, embryo transverse, cylindrical

Maesa

[Extract] Scandent shrubs or small trees, with schizogenous canals, lenticellate. Leaves simple, alternate, exstipulate, petiole bundles all annular; lamina elliptic to ovate to obovate, margin entire or irregularly toothed; glandular lineate. Inflorescence racemose or paniculate, axillary or rarely terminal, bracteate. Flowers regular, 5-merous (in Australian species), unisexual or bisexual, subtended by a bract and two bracteoles; calyx adnate to ovary, lobes variously united; corolla campanulate to urceolate, fused at least at base, glandular lineate; stamens antepetalous, adnate to corolla tube, anthers dorsifixed, introrse opening by longitudinal slits, often notched at apex; ovary perigynous, unilocular, placentation free central, ovules numerous, immersed in placenta, 1–several rows; style short; stigma obtuse to discoid to slightly notched. Fruit dry to thinly fleshy, mesocarp somewhat woody, indehiscent, calyx persistent. Seeds numerous, angular, dark brown to black; embryo oblique and transverse, endosperm present

Ardisia

[Extract] Shrubs or small trees, rarely climbing or herbaceous (non-Australia). Leaves petiolate, alternate, spiral or distichous; lamina entire to crenate/serrulate, usually coriaceous, glabrous or with peltate glandular scales, hairs rare (non-Australian), glands globular and/or lineate. Inflorescence racemose usually appearing umbelliform or paniculate (not in mainland Australia) or cymose (non-Australian). Flowers bisexual, 5-merous, pedicellate; calyx free or fused at the base, persistent; corolla rotate, campanulate to urceolate (not in Australia), fused at base, lobes imbricate in bud; stamens free or adnate to the corolla tube; filaments short, rarely absent, base usually fused; anthers longitudinally dehiscent, rarely opening by pores (not in Australia), erect, often connivent around the style; ovary superior; style filiform, usually more than twice as long as the ovary; stigma punctiform; placenta basal; ovules few to numerous embedded in the placenta, uniseriate to multiseriate, 1 maturing. Fruit a drupe, style persistent or scar present, endocarp hard. Seed 1, endosperm firm, embryo transverse, cylindrical

Seed Ecology of the Invasive Tropical Tree Parkinsonia aculeata

Parkinsonia aculeata is an invasive tree native to tropical America, but introduced to Australia. Propagation and stand regeneration is mainly by seed. To gain baseline knowledge for management decisions, seed bank dynamics were monitored for two months during the fruit dispersal period at a coastal wetland in Costa Rica (native habitat), and at a coastal wetland and two semi-arid rangeland sites in Northern Queensland, Australia (introduced habitats). Seed bank densities underneath dense, uniform Parkinsonia stands were found to be lowest in the Australian wetland but highest in the Costa Rican wetland. Post-dispersal seed losses were highest in the Australian wetland, primarily due to seed germination and/or death. At the other sites, seed losses were minor during the study period, and predation was the most important cause of losses. At the two rangeland sites bruchid beetles accounted for more than 95% of the seed losses by predation. Total predation was lowest in the Costa Rican wetland. In order to test for intrinsic differences of seed characteristics, germination trials were conducted using both canopy seeds and seeds from the soil seed bank. Dormancy release and germination rate were studied under four temperature treatments. In all populations, dormancy release increased with increasing temperature, but averaged responses were significantly different between Costa Rican and Australian seed populations, and between seeds collected from the soil and from trees. Germination rate of scarified seeds was fastest at 35°C in all tested seed populations. While high seed germination levels seem to explain low seed bank densities in the Australian wetland, the large seed banks at the rangeland sites reflect the lower incidence of favourable conditions for germination. In the Australian wetland biocontrol with bruchids is unlikely to be successful, while control by conventional methods, such as killing stands by basal bark spraying, seems feasible, due to a lower long-term risk of re-infestation from the soil seed bank. At the rangeland sites conventional control will be difficult and costly. Parkinsonia stands may be better left to their own, while bruchid populations are monitored and management efforts are concentrated on preventing further invasio

Hibbertia Andrews (Dilleniaceae, Guinea Flowers) in North Queensland, Townsville area to the tip of Cape York Peninsula

Currently, thirty species of Hibbertia Andrews (Dilleniaceae, Guinea Flowers) are recognised in North Queensland in an area extending from Townsville to the tip of Cape York Peninsula. However, there is no key to their identification. The aim of this paper is to provide a key to recognised species/taxa, both described and undescribed, using a modified key format. Similar species are grouped together, and short descriptions provided for ease of comparison. Distinguishing features are highlighted to facilitate use by anyone interested in plants. The genus in the area is under-collected

Transfer of three species of Cayratia Juss., to Causonis Raf.(Vitaceae)

Phylogenetic studies have shown that Cayratia Juss is not monophyletic. Cayratia s.str. is now confined to those species with a U-shaped endosperm rather than a T-shaped endosperm. The latter are now in three genera Causonis Raf., Pseudocayratia J. Wen, L.M. Lu & Z.D. Chen, together with an undescribed African genus. As a result, new combinations are required for three species occurring in Australia: Causonis clematidea (F. Muell.) Jackes, C. eurynema (B.L.Burtt) Jackes and C. maritima (Jackes) Jackes. Cayratia japonica (Thunb.) Gagnep., and Cayratia trifolia (L.) Domin, have been transferred to Causonis, as Causonis japonica (Thunb.) Raf., and Causonis trifolia (L.) Mabb. & J. Wen