Xylosma maidenii Sleumer APNI* Description: Small tree to 5 m high; almost all parts glabrous.
Leaves ovate to elliptical, lamina (3–) 4–6 (–10) cm long, (1.5–) 2–3 (–4) cm broad, entire or crenate-dentate; apex very shortly acuminate, acute or obtuse; petiole yellow-orange, 5–12 mm long.
Inflorescence to 8-flowered, axillary or borne below leaves; flowers solitary or in short racemes. Sepals 4 or 5, oblong-ovate, 1–2 mm long, pubescent along margins. Male flowers with 25–30 stamens; filaments 2.5–3 mm long. Female flowers with ovoid-globose ovary, c. 2 mm long; styles 2, very short.
Fruit ovoid-globose, 5 mm long, slightly fleshy, purple.
Flowering: December to May.
Distribution and occurrence: endemic to Lord Howe Island. Grows in lowland forest.
NSW subdivisions: LHI
Very close to the Queensland species Xylosma ovatum. Xylosma was previously placed in the now synonymised family Flacourtiaceae.
Text by Peter G. Wilson Taxon concept: P.S. Green, Flora of Australia Vol. 49 (1994)
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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