Actephila grandifolia (Müll.Arg.) Baill. APNI* Description: Subshrub or shrub to 3 m high.
Leaves oblanceolate to obovate, 3–24 cm long, 1–6.5 cm wide, acuminate, tip acute, midrib strongly raised on under surface. Petiole 3–30 mm long. Stipuules 0.8–2 mm long.
Flowers in axillary clusters, 2–4 mm diameter, single sex or with both male and female flowers. Male flowers: pedicel 10–20 mm long, sepals 5, petals absent or 1–3 present, stamens 3 or 4. Female flowers: pedicel 7–28 mm long, sepals 5, petals absent or 1–2 present, styles 3.
Capsule depressed-globose, 9–11 mm long, green. Seeds dark olive green with irregular darker green blotches.
Distribution and occurrence: Restricted to the far NE of NSW and SE Queensland, with a southern limit at Alstonville, at altitudes 40-950 m. The understorey of subtropical 'wet' rainforest or in open forest dominated by eucalypts and with a scrubby rainforest understorey. Soils derived from basalt.
NSW subdivisions: NC
Other Australian states: Qld
This species was recognised as distinct by Paul Forster (2005); previously some collections where called Actephila lindleyi.
Text by C. Herscovitch, Aug 2007; updated Louisa Murray July 2016 Taxon concept: Paul Forster, in Austrobaileya 7(1):71 (2005)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data ***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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