Eidothea zoexylocarya
Encyclopedia
Eidothea zoexylocarya is a tree
in the family Proteaceae
described by A.W.Douglas and B.Hyland in 1995. It was the first Eidothea
to be discovered, on the slopes of Mount Bartle Frere
, the biggest mountain of Queensland
. Its name refers to the almost identical fossil fruit Xylocaryon lockii F. Muell. (picture below) from Ballarat, Victoria
, still extant (zoe=life) in this species. It is listed as Vulnerable
on the Qld Nature Conservation Act.
. Bark ash-grey with pale lenticels.
Leaves simple, 45-145 x 15–55 mm, in false whorls of 3-7, glabrous. E. zoexylocarya is the only known Proteaceae
to possess giant cuticular pores in its leaves (diameter 1 μm, density 120000/mm2) which could play a role in absorbing more water from mist after periods of water stress.
Flowers axillary or terminal, white or cream in clusters of 6-10, 1.5–2 cm long, fragrant, Sep-May, insect pollinised.
Fruits globose or ovoid, green to yellowish or brown, 2.1-6.0 cm long x 1.8-6.5 cm wide, Aug-May. The seed is contained in a hard woody brown endocarp with several longitudinal ribs on its inside corresponding to longitudinal intrusions in the seed surface. Seeds are eaten by Giant White-tailed Rat
s on the tree and the ground. The hollowed endocarps are often found surrounding the base of the mother tree.
(headwaters of the Mulgrave River
and Russell River
) to Thornton Peak
and Mt Pieter Botte (headwaters of the Bloomfield River
), north-eastern Queensland
. It grows on metamorphic or granitic soils in complex mesophyll
to simple notophyll vine forests at altitude 430–1480 m and is known from several conservation areas.
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
in the family Proteaceae
Proteaceae
Proteaceae is a family of flowering plants distributed in the Southern Hemisphere. The family comprises about 80 genera with about 1600 species. Together with the Platanaceae and Nelumbonaceae they make up the order Proteales. Well known genera include Protea, Banksia, Embothrium, Grevillea,...
described by A.W.Douglas and B.Hyland in 1995. It was the first Eidothea
Eidothea
Eidothea is a genus of two species of rainforest tree in New South Wales and Queensland in eastern Australia, which belongs to the plant family Proteaceae, which also includes more familiar members such as the waratahs, grevilleas, banksias, macadamias and proteas...
to be discovered, on the slopes of Mount Bartle Frere
Mount Bartle Frere
Mount Bartle Frere is the highest mountain in Queensland at an elevation of 1622 metres. The mountain was named after Sir Henry Bartle Frere, a British colonial administrator and then president of the Royal Geographical Society by George Elphinstone Dalrymple in 1873. Bartle Frere was British...
, the biggest mountain of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
. Its name refers to the almost identical fossil fruit Xylocaryon lockii F. Muell. (picture below) from Ballarat, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, still extant (zoe=life) in this species. It is listed as Vulnerable
Vulnerable species
On 30 January 2010, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 9694 Vulnerable species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and sub-populations.-References:...
on the Qld Nature Conservation Act.
Description
Tree to 40 m, with one main trunk to 80 cm diameter at breast height and without the coppice shoots around its base typicals of Eidothea hardenianaEidothea hardeniana
Eidothea hardeniana, commonly known as the Nightcap Oak, is a tree to 40 m tall in the family Proteaceae discovered as a new species in 2000 by botanist Robert Kooyman. The species is listed as Critically Endangered on the Australian Commonwealth EPBC Act and Endangered on the NSW Threatened...
. Bark ash-grey with pale lenticels.
Leaves simple, 45-145 x 15–55 mm, in false whorls of 3-7, glabrous. E. zoexylocarya is the only known Proteaceae
Proteaceae
Proteaceae is a family of flowering plants distributed in the Southern Hemisphere. The family comprises about 80 genera with about 1600 species. Together with the Platanaceae and Nelumbonaceae they make up the order Proteales. Well known genera include Protea, Banksia, Embothrium, Grevillea,...
to possess giant cuticular pores in its leaves (diameter 1 μm, density 120000/mm2) which could play a role in absorbing more water from mist after periods of water stress.
Flowers axillary or terminal, white or cream in clusters of 6-10, 1.5–2 cm long, fragrant, Sep-May, insect pollinised.
Fruits globose or ovoid, green to yellowish or brown, 2.1-6.0 cm long x 1.8-6.5 cm wide, Aug-May. The seed is contained in a hard woody brown endocarp with several longitudinal ribs on its inside corresponding to longitudinal intrusions in the seed surface. Seeds are eaten by Giant White-tailed Rat
Giant White-tailed Rat
The Giant White-tailed Rat is an Australian rodent native to tropical rainforest of north Queensland , with subspecies occurring in New Guinea and the Aru Islands...
s on the tree and the ground. The hollowed endocarps are often found surrounding the base of the mother tree.
Distribution and habitat
Rainforest from Mount Bartle FrereMount Bartle Frere
Mount Bartle Frere is the highest mountain in Queensland at an elevation of 1622 metres. The mountain was named after Sir Henry Bartle Frere, a British colonial administrator and then president of the Royal Geographical Society by George Elphinstone Dalrymple in 1873. Bartle Frere was British...
(headwaters of the Mulgrave River
Mulgrave River
The Mulgrave River is a river in Far North Queensland, Australia. It flows in a northerly direction through Gordonvale and the southern outskirts of Cairns, after rising in the Bellenden Ker Range...
and Russell River
Russell River
The Russell River is a short river that passes east of the town of Babinda in Far North Queensland, Australia. The river rises near the highest mountain in Queensland, Mount Bartle Frere, part of the Frances Range in the Wooroonooran National Park...
) to Thornton Peak
Thornton Peak
Thornton Peak is a prominent mountain that rises above the Daintree Rainforest to a height of 1374 m. The mountain is located about 32 km northwest of Cairns within the catchment of the Daintree River....
and Mt Pieter Botte (headwaters of the Bloomfield River
Bloomfield River
The Bloomfield River is a river situated in Queensland, north of Daintree. The river enters the sea north of Cape Tribulation and is noted for its Bloomfield River cod fish species, found only in the river...
), north-eastern Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
. It grows on metamorphic or granitic soils in complex mesophyll
Mesophyll
Mesophyll can refer to:* Mesophyll tissue, in plant anatomy, photosynthetic parenchyma cells that lie between the upper and lower epidermis layers of a leaf...
to simple notophyll vine forests at altitude 430–1480 m and is known from several conservation areas.