Tasmannia membranea
| Tasmannia membranea | |
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| Male flowers | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Magnoliids |
| Order: | Canellales |
| Family: | Winteraceae |
| Genus: | Tasmannia |
| Species: | T. membranea
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| Binomial name | |
| Tasmannia membranea | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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Tasmannia membranea, commonly known as pepper tree,[2] is a species of flowering plant in the family Winteraceae, and is endemic to north-eastern Queensland. It is a shrub or tree with lance-shaped or egg-shaped leaves, male and female flowers on separate plants, with two petals on each flower. The male flowers have 30 to 62 stamens, and the female flowers have a single carpel with 14 to 36 ovules, and the fruit is black.
Description[edit]
Tasmannia membranea is a shrub or tree that typically grows to a height of 1.5–4 m (4 ft 11 in – 13 ft 1 in) and has striated, reddish branchlets. Its leaves are egg-shaped with the narrower end toward the base or lance-shaped, 80–170 mm (3.1–6.7 in) long and 9–40 mm (0.35–1.57 in) wide on a petiole 1–13 mm (0.039–0.512 in) long. Male and female flowers are borne on separate plants, each flower with 2 petals. Male flowers are borne on a pedicel 7–36 mm (0.28–1.42 in) long and have 30–62 stamens. Female flowers are on a pedicel 6–23 mm (0.24–0.91 in) long with a single sessile carpel containing 14 to 36 ovules. Flowering occurs from June to October and the fruit is black, spherical or oval, 10–11 mm (0.39–0.43 in) long with 4 to 7, slightly curved seeds 3.0–3.5 mm (0.12–0.14 in) long.[2][3]
Taxonomy[edit]
This species was first formally described in 1866 by Ferdinand von Mueller, who gave it the name Drimys membranea in his Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae from specimens collected by John Dallachy.[4][5] In 1969, Albert Charles Smith transferred the species to Tasmannia as T. membranea in journal Taxon.[6]
Distribution and habitat[edit]
Tasmannia membranea grows in the understorey of rainforest at altitudes between 300 and 1,550 m (980 and 5,090 ft) from near Rossville to Paluma in north-eastern Queensland.[2][3]
Conservation status[edit]
This species of Tasmannia is listed as of "least concern" by the Queensland Government, Department of Education and Science.[7]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Tasmannia membranea". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
- ^ a b c Guymer, Gordon P. Kodela, Phillip G. (ed.). "Tasmannia membranea". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
- ^ a b "Tasmannia membranea". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
- ^ "Drimys membranea". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
- ^ von Mueller, Ferdinand (1866). Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae. Vol. 5. Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer. pp. 175–176. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
- ^ "Tasmannia membranea". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
- ^ "Species profile – Tasmannia membranea". Queensland Government Department of Education and Science. Retrieved 14 May 2024.