Cryptocarya macdonaldii, commonly known as McDonald's laurel, McDonald's cryptocarya[2] or Cooloola laurel,[3] is a species of flowering plant in the family Lauraceae and is endemic to Central Queensland. It is a tree with elliptic to egg-shaped to oblong leaves, cream-coloured, unpleasantly perfumed flowers, and elliptical black drupes.
| Cryptocarya macdonaldii | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Magnoliids |
| Order: | Laurales |
| Family: | Lauraceae |
| Genus: | Cryptocarya |
| Species: | C. macdonaldii
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| Binomial name | |
| Cryptocarya macdonaldii | |
Description
editCryptocarya macdonaldii is a tree that typically grows to a height of up to 30 m (98 ft), its stems sometimes buttressed. Its leaves are elliptic to egg-shaped to oblong, 90–130 mm (3.5–5.1 in) long and 30–50 mm (1.2–2.0 in) wide, on a petiole 6–14 mm (0.24–0.55 in) long. The flowers are arranged in panicles in leaf axils or on the ends of branches and are usually longer than the leaves. They are cream-coloured and unpleasantly perfumed. The perianth tube is 1.1–1.3 mm (0.04–0.05 in) long and wide. The outer anthers are 0.5–0.6 mm (0.02–0.02 in) long and wide, the inner anthers 0.6–0.7 mm (0.02–0.03 in) long and 0.4–0.5 mm (0.02–0.02 in) wide. Flowering occurs in January and February, and the fruit is an elliptical, black drupe, about 15 mm (0.6 in) long and 11 mm (0.43 in) wide with creamy-yellow cotyledons.[4][3]
Taxonomy
editCryptocarya macdonaldii was first formally described in 1989 by Bernard Hyland in Australian Systematic Botany from specimens he collected near the Bonogin Creek Road in 1983.[5]
Distribution and habitat
editCryptocarya macdonaldii grows in rainforest at altitudes between sea level and 1,000 m (3,300 ft) between Proserpine and Eungella and from Miriam Vale to south of Brisbane in Central Queensland.[4]
Conservation status
editThis Cryptocarya is listed as of "least concern" under the Queensland Government Nature Conservation Act 1992.[2]
References
edit
- ^ "Cryptocarya macdonaldii". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
- ^ a b "Cryptocarya macdonaldii". Queensland Government Department of Environment and Science. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
- ^ a b "Cryptocarya macdonaldii". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
- ^ a b Le Cussan, J.; Hyland, Bernard P.M. "Cryptocarya macdonaldii". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
- ^ "Cryptocarya macdonaldii". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 27 July 2024.