Backhousia tetraptera is a tree in the family Myrtaceae. The only known population occurs at the foot of Mount Stuart near Townsville in Queensland, Australia.[2][3]
| Backhousia tetraptera | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Backhousia |
| Species: | B. tetraptera
|
| Binomial name | |
| Backhousia tetraptera | |
The species grows to between 5 and 12 metres high often with multiple trunks that have a mottled flaking bark including grey, grey-brown and/or pink colouration. The leaves are simple and opposite and are 5.5 to 9 cm long and 1.5 to 3.8 cm wide.[2] The white flowers appear in clusters of 10 and have 56 to 65 stamens. Flowering is induced by the first significant rainfall of the wet season, appearing four weeks later.[2] The distinctive fruits are capsules with four wings that appear in clusters and fade from pink to white and dry to brown.[2]
References
edit- ^ a b "Backhousia tetraptera Jackes". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
- ^ a b c d "Backhousia tetraptera". The Society for Growing Australian Plants Townsville Branch Inc. 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
- ^ "Mystery Tree". The Society for Growing Australian Plants Townsville Branch Inc. 2012. Archived from the original on 13 May 2013. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
- ^ Harrington, Mark G.; Jackes, Betsy R.; Barrett, M. D.; et al. (2012). "Phylogenetic revision of Backhousieae (Myrtaceae): Neogene divergence, a revised circumscription of Backhousia and two new species". Australian Systematic Botany. 25 (6): 409–414. doi:10.1071/sb12015. S2CID 56067440. Retrieved 29 June 2014.