Cryptocarya whiffiniana is a species of flowering plant in the family Lauraceae and is endemic to north Queensland. It is a tree with oblong, lance-shaped or narrowly elliptic leaves, creamy green flowers, and elliptic glaucous or black drupes.
| Cryptocarya whiffiniana | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Magnoliids |
| Order: | Laurales |
| Family: | Lauraceae |
| Genus: | Cryptocarya |
| Species: | C. whiffiniana
|
| Binomial name | |
| Cryptocarya whiffiniana | |
Description
editCryptocarya whiffiniana is a tree that typically grows to a height of up to 20 m (66 ft), its stems buttressed. Its leaves are oblong, lance-shaped or narrowly elliptic, 70–110 mm (2.8–4.3 in) long and 20–40 mm (0.8–1.6 in) wide, on a petiole 5–8 mm (0.20–0.31 in) long. The flowers are creamy green but not perfumed, and arranged in panicles shorter than the leaves. The perianth tube is 1.5–1.6 mm (0.059–0.063 in) long and about 0.6 mm (0.024 in) wide, the outer tepals 1.9–2.1 mm (0.075–0.083 in) long and 0.9–1.1 mm (0.035–0.043 in) wide, the inner tepals 1.8–2.1 mm (0.071–0.083 in) long and about 1.2 mm (0.047 in) wide. The outer anthers are 0.4–0.8 mm (0.016–0.031 in) long and 0.5–0.6 mm (0.020–0.024 in) wide, the inner anthers 0.7–0.9 mm (0.028–0.035 in) long and 0.4–0.5 mm (0.016–0.020 in) wide. Flowering has been recorded in August and November, and the fruit is an elliptic glaucous or black drupe, 10–13 mm (0.39–0.51 in) long and 8–9 mm (0.31–0.35 in) wide with cream-coloured cotyledons.[2][3]
Taxonomy
editCryptocarya whiffiniana was first formally described in 2007 by J. Le Cussan and Bernard Hyland in the appendix to the Flora of Australia from specimens collected near Gadgarra in 1988.[4] The specific epithet (whiffiniana) honours "Dr. Trevor Whiffin...who has a long-standing interest in rainforest species".[4]
Distribution and habitat
editThis species of Cryptocarya grows in rainforest at altitudes from 520 to 720 m (1,710 to 2,360 ft) from the Lamb Range to the Gadgarra area in north Queensland.[2][3]
Conservation status
editThis species of Cryptocarya is listed as "of least concern" under the Queensland Government Nature Conservation Act 1992.[5]
References
edit- ^ "Cryptocarya whiffiniana". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
- ^ a b Le Cussan, J.; Hyland, Bernard P.M. "Cryptocarya whiffiniana". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
- ^ a b "Cryptocarya whiffiniana". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
- ^ a b "Cryptocarya whiffiniana". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
- ^ "Species profile — Cryptocarya whiffiniana". Queensland Government Department of Education and Science. Retrieved 26 October 2024.