Stenocarpus cryptocarpus, commonly known as the giant-leaved stenocarpus,[4] is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to north Queensland. It is a tree with buttress roots at the base, simple, mostly elliptical adult leaves, groups of cream-coloured flowers and narrow oblong follicles.
| Stenocarpus cryptocarpus | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Proteales |
| Family: | Proteaceae |
| Genus: | Stenocarpus |
| Species: | S. cryptocarpus |
| Binomial name | |
| Stenocarpus cryptocarpus | |
Description
Stenocarpus cryptocarpus is a tree that typically grows to a height of up to 25 m (82 ft), with a dbh of up to 40 cm (16 in). It is a canopy tree and has buttress roots at the base.[5][6] The leaves of young plants are bipinnate, up to 115 cm (45 in) long on a petiole 15–20 cm (5.9–7.9 in) long. Adult leaves are simple, elliptic, more or less oblong or egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, and 9–14 cm (3.5–5.5 in) long on a petiole 3–8 cm (1.2–3.1 in) long.
The leaves are glossy green and covered with woolly, rust-coloured hairs when young. The flower groups are arranged in leaf axils near the ends of branches with up to 20 flowers on a peduncle 55–95 mm (2.2–3.7 in) long. The individual flowers are cream-coloured, strongly perfumed and 20–30 mm (0.79–1.18 in) long, each flower on a pedicel 10–17 mm (0.39–0.67 in) long. Flowering occurs from December to April and the fruit is a narrow oblong follicle up to 10–13 cm (3.9–5.1 in) long.[4][6][7]
Taxonomy
Stenocarpus cryptocarpus was first formally described in 1988 by botanists Don Foreman and Bernie Hyland in the journal Muelleria from specimens collected by Hyland from North Queensland in 1969.[6][8] The specific epithet (cryptocarpus) means "hidden-fruited".[9]
Distribution and habitat
Giant leaved stenocarpus grows in rainforest at altitudes up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft) between Cooktown and Innisfail.[4]
References
External links
Media related to Stenocarpus cryptocarpus at Wikimedia Commons- View a map of recorded sightings of Stenocarpus cryptocarpus at the Australasian Virtual Herbarium
- See images of Stenocarpus cryptocarpus on Flickriver
