Pilidiostigma tropicum
| Pilidiostigma tropicum | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Flowers and flower buds | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Embryophytes |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Pilidiostigma |
| Species: | P. tropicum |
| Binomial name | |
| Pilidiostigma tropicum | |
 | |
Pilidiostigma tropicum, commonly known as apricot myrtle, is a species of plant in the clove and eucalyptus family Myrtaceae. It is native to the Wet Tropics bioregion of Queensland, Australia.
Description
Pilidiostigma tropicum is a tree growing up to about 15 m (49 ft) tall with a trunk up to 20 cm (8 in) diameter. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs on the twigs and measure up to 11 cm (4.3 in) long and 4 cm (1.6 in) wide. They are attached to the twigs on petioles which are channelled on the top, and the fine margins of the channel are sinuous and red in colour. The leaves have two, sometimes three, intramarginal veins (veins that run just inside and parallel to the leaf margin).[4][5]
Flowers are borne on small racemes of two to six flowers, produced in the leaf axils. The calyx is about 4 mm (0.16 in) long and has five lobes. The five white petals are concave and almost circular in shape, about 7 mm (0.28 in) in diameter. There are numerous stamens; the ovary has two locules (chambers) with about seven ovules each, and the stigma is large and pink.[4][5]
The fruit is a berry in botanical terms – it is black or purple in colour and is about 20 mm (0.8 in) long and 14 mm (0.6 in) wide. It contains up to eight seeds which are about 8 mm (0.3 in) long.[4][6]
Taxonomy
This species was described by botanist Lindsay Stuart Smith in 1955, and published in 1956. The type specimen was collected in 1929 near Glen Allyn on the Atherton Tableland, Queensland.[5]
Distribution and habitat
Pilidiostigma tropicum grows in rainforest as an understory tree, occurring on east coastal and sub-coastal parts of Queensland from just north of Cape Tribulation to just north of Townsville. It is widespread on the Atherton Tableland. The altitudinal range is from sea level to about 1,100 m (3,600 ft).[4][6][7]
Conservation
This species is listed as least concern under the Queensland Government's Nature Conservation Act.[1] As of 28 June 2026, it has not been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
References
- 1 2 "Pilidiostigma tropicum". WildNet. Queensland Government. 2026. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
- ↑ "Pilidiostigma tropicum L.S.Sm". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
- ↑ "Pilidiostigma tropicum L.S.Sm". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2026. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 F.A.Zich; B.P.M.Hyland; T.Whiffen; R.A.Kerrigan (2020). "Pilidiostigma tropicum L.S.Sm". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants Edition 8 (RFK8). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
- 1 2 3 Smith, L.S. (1956). "New species of and notes on Queensland plants". The Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland. 67 (5): 36. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
- 1 2 Cooper, Wendy; Cooper, William T. (June 2004). Fruits of the Australian Tropical Rainforest. Clifton Hill, Victoria, Australia: Nokomis Editions. p. 351. ISBN 978-0-9581742-1-3.
- ↑ "Search: species: Pilidiostigma tropicum | Occurrence records". Australasian Virtual Herbarium. Australian Government. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
External links
- Map of herbarium collections of this species at the Australasian Virtual Herbarium
- Observations of this species on iNaturalist
- Images of this species on Flickriver.com