Wilkiea hugeliana is a species of flowering plant in the family Monimiaceae, and is endemic to Cape York Peninsula in far northern Queensland. It is a shrub or small tree with elliptic, sometimes toothed leaves, and male and female flowers on separate plants. Male flowers usually have 4 pairs of stamens and female flowers have about 40 carpels, and the fruit is a glossy black drupe with enlarged orange receptacles.

Wilkiea hylandii
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Magnoliids
Order: Laurales
Family: Monimiaceae
Genus: Wilkiea
Species:
W. hylandii
Binomial name
Wilkiea hylandii

Description

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Wilkiea hugeliana is a shrub or small tree that typically grows to a height of 1.5–5 m (4 ft 11 in – 16 ft 5 in). Its leaves are elliptic, 80–150 mm (3.1–5.9 in) long and 30–55 mm (1.2–2.2 in) wide on a petiole 10–15 mm (0.39–0.59 in) long. The leaves sometimes have irregular teeth on the edges, with a prominent midvein on both sides. Male and female flowers are borne on separate plants, male flowers in leaf axils in groups of 5 to 7, about 15 mm (0.59 in) long, each flower spherical, 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) in diameter on a pedicel 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long with 6 tepals and usually 4 pairs of stamens. Female flowers are borne on the ends of branchlets or in leaf axils in groups of 3 to 5, 30–50 mm (1.2–2.0 in) long, each flower more or less spherical, about 8 mm (0.31 in) in diameter and 11 mm (0.43 in) long, on a pedicel 7–15 mm (0.28–0.59 in) long, with about 40 carpels. Flowering occurs from September to December, and the fruit is a glossy black drupe with an enlarged orange receptacle.[2]

Taxonomy

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Wilkiea hugeliana was first formally described in 2007 by Trevor Paul Whiffin, from specimens collected by Bernard Hyland in 1980.[2][3] The specific epithet (hylandii) honours the collector of the type specimen, a longtime colleague and friend of Whiffin.[2]

Distribution and habitat

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This species grows in rainforest from 400 to 600 m (1,300 to 2,000 ft) in altitude, and is endemic to an area around the McIlwraith Range on Cape York Peninsula in far north Queensland.[2]

References

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  1. ^ "Wilkiea hylandii". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Whiffin, Trevor J.; Foreman, Donald B. "Wilkiea hylandii". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  3. ^ "Wilkiea hylandii". APNI. Retrieved 16 May 2024.