Cupaniopsis fleckeri is a species of flowering plant in the soapberry family and is endemic to northern Queensland. It is a small tree with paripinnate leaves with 8 to 10 elliptic to egg-shaped leaflets with the narrower end towards the base, and separate male and female flowers arranged in panicles.

Cupaniopsis fleckeri
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Sapindaceae
Genus: Cupaniopsis
Species:
C. fleckeri
Binomial name
Cupaniopsis fleckeri

Description

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Cupaniopsis fleckeri is small tree that typically grows to a height of up to 9 m (30 ft), its young branchlets covered with fine, soft hairs at first, later glabrous. The leaves are paripinnate with 4 or 5 elliptic to egg-shaped leaflets with the narrower end towards the base, on each side of the rhachis 20–60 mm (0.79–2.36 in) long. The leaflets are 20–60 mm (0.79–2.36 in) long, 15–30 mm (0.59–1.18 in) wide on a petiole 15–40 mm (0.59–1.57 in) long. There are usually up to 5 small domatia on each leaflet. Separate male and female flowers are borne in panicles 65–170 mm (2.6–6.7 in) long, each flower on a pedicel 3–6 mm (0.12–0.24 in) long. The sepals have more or less round lobes about 3.5–4.0 mm (0.14–0.16 in) long 2.5–4.5 mm (0.098–0.177 in) wide, and the petals are white, elliptic or broadly egg-shaped, about 3 mm (0.12 in) long and 2 mm (0.079 in) wide.[2][3][4]

Taxonomy

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Cupaniopsis fleckeri was first formally described in 1984 by Sally T. Reynolds in the journal Austrobaileya from specimens collected in the Coen area by Hugo Flecker in 1949.[5]

Distribution and habitat

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This species of Cupaniopsis grows in dry rainforest, usually on sandstone, at altitudes up to 400 m (1,300 ft), from the Torres Strait Islands to Cape Tribulation on Cape York Peninsula.[3][4]

Conservation status

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Cupaniopsis fleckeri is list as of "least concern" under the Queensland Government Nature Conservation Act 1992.[6]

References

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  1. ^ "Cupaniopsis fleckeri". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  2. ^ Reynolds, Sally T. (1984). "Notes on Sapindaceae, III. Austrobaileya". Austrobaileya. 2 (1): 47–48. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  3. ^ a b Reynolds, Sally T. Busby, John R.; Kodela, Phillip G. (eds.). "Cupaniopsis fleckeri". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Cupaniopsis fleckeri". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  5. ^ "Cupaniopsis fleckeri". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  6. ^ "Cupaniopsis fleckeri". Queensland Government, Department of Education and Science. Retrieved 5 October 2024.