''Flindersia oppositifolia'', commonly known as mountain silkwood, is a species of tree that is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

to the Bellenden Ker Range in northern Queensland. It has simple leaves arranged more or less in opposite pairs, dark reddish flowers arranged in

panicle In botany, a panicle is a much-branched inflorescence. (softcover ). Some authors distinguish it from a compound spike inflorescence, by requiring that the flowers (and fruit) be pedicellate (having a single stem per flower). The branches of a p ...

s, and fruit studded with short, rough points.

Description

''Flindersia oppositifolia'' is a tree that typically grows to a height of . Its leaves are simple, arranged more or less in opposite pairs, egg-shaped to elliptical, long and wide on a petiole long. The flowers are arranged in panicles long and have five

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 Etymology The term ''sepalum'' ...

s long and five dark reddish

petal Petals are modified leaves that form an inner whorl surrounding the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often brightly coloured or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''corol ...

s long. Flowering occurs from October to November and the fruit is a woody capsule long studded with short, rough points, and separating into five at maturity, releasing winged seeds long.

Taxonomy

Mountain silkwood was first formally described in 1892 by

Ferdinand von Mueller Baron Sir Ferdinand Jacob Heinrich von Mueller, (; 30 June 1825 – 10 October 1896) was a German-Australian physician, geographer, and most notably, a botanist. He was appointed government botanist for the then colony of Victoria, Australia ...

who gave it the name ''Hypsophila oppositifolia'' and published the description in '' The Victorian Naturalist'' from material collected on

Mount Bartle Frere Mount Bartle Frere (pronunciation �mæɔnt̥ ˈbɐːɾəɫ ˈfɹɪə Ngajanji: Choorechillum) is the highest mountain in Queensland at an elevation of . The mountain was named after Sir Henry Bartle Frere, 1st Baronet, Sir Henry Bartle Frere ...

. In 1982,

Thomas Hartley Thomas Hartley (September 7, 1748December 21, 1800) was an American lawyer, soldier, and politician from York, Pennsylvania. Early life and education Hartley was born in Colebrookdale Township in the Province of Pennsylvania. At 18 years of a ...

and Laurence Jessup changed the name to ''Flindersia oppositifolia'' in the journal ''Brunonia''.

Distribution and habitat

Mountain silkwood grows in rainforest at altitudes of and is only known from the Bellenden Ker Range in north Queensland.

Conservation status

''Flindersia oppositifolia'' is classified as of "least concern" under the Queensland Government ''

Nature Conservation Act 1992 The ''Nature Conservation Act 1992'' is an act of the Parliament of Queensland, Australia, that, together with subordinate legislation, provides for the legislative protection of Queensland's threatened biota. As originally published, it prov ...

''.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q18075811 oppositifolia Flora of Queensland Sapindales of Australia Trees of Australia Plants described in 1892 Taxa named by Ferdinand von Mueller