Phaleria octandra.
Dwarf Phaleria in Family Thymelaeaceae is native to Australia (including Queensland) and S.E. Asia.
Most are evergreen shrubs up to 2 to 3 m high with some trees to 6 m.
Leaves are mainly opposite with some lower ones alternate.
They are on a grooved petiole 1 to 1.5 cm long.
The elliptic blades, around 22 cm long and 8 cm wide have a pointed tip.
Inflorescences are terminal with occasional ones in the near terminal leaf axils.
They are dense clusters of flowers on a stalk or peduncle up to 7 to 8 mm long.
Each cluster can have around 5 to 25 flowers.
On the top of the peduncle are 4 involucral bracts with microscopic hairs on the edge and tip.
Each flower is on a short stalk or pedicel under 0.5 mm long.
There are no petals but 4 (5 or 6) petal-like sepals that are white with some yellow.
The sepal bases form a narrow tubular hypanthium 1 to 2 cm long.
The elliptic to ovate lobes on the rim, around 6 mm long curve backwards.
There may be no hairs or some microscopic ones on the outer surface.
The 8 stamens are in 2 whorls with one inserted on the hypanthium rim and the other just below.
The anthers are held well free of the perianth.
There is a nectary disc with shallow lobes at the base of the superior ovary.
The fruit are ovoid drupes around 1.5 cm long that are red when mature.
The 1 (2) seed is surrounded by fibrous tissue.
J.F.
