Species profile—Ochrosperma obovatum
Classification
Plantae (plants) → Equisetopsida (land plants) → Myrtaceae → Ochrosperma obovatum
Sighting data
Species details
- Kingdom
- Plantae (plants)
- Class
- Equisetopsida (land plants)
- Family
- Myrtaceae
- Scientific name
- Ochrosperma obovatum A.R.Bean
- WildNet taxon ID
- 22331
- Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NCA) status
- Vulnerable
- Conservation significant
- Yes
- Confidential
- No
- Endemicity
- Native
- Pest status
- Nil
- Short Notes
- plus spirit, status annotated by author
- Description
- Ochrosperma obovatum is a shrub 50-80 cm tall with grey, scaly bark that is persistent. Branchlets are grey, terete, eglandular or sparsely glandular. The leaves are overlapping, decussate; the laminae are obovate to oblanceolate, 2.7-4.5 mm long by 1 by 1.8 mm wide. The leaf margins are entire, the apex obtuse; oil glands small, rather obscure; petioles 0.4 by 0.7 mm long. The inflorescences are axillary, 1-3 flowered; peduncles extremely short; pedicels 0.6-1.2 mm long; bracteoles 2, persistent to anthesis, broadly ovate, 0.7-0.8 by 0.3-0.6 mm, obtuse or acute. The sepals are lunate to semi-orbiculare, translucent, 0.3-0.7 by 1.0 by 1.2 mm, with thickened midrib, margins entire or denticulate, oil glands present. The corolla is white, 3.5 by 4.5 mm across. The petals are broadly obovate to orbiculare, 0.9-1.3 by 1.2-1.8 mm, with the margins entire or minutely fimbriate, oil glands are present. There are 5 (6) stamens which are antesepalous. The filaments are slightly flattened, 0.6-0.8 mm long. The anthers are versatile, dorsifixed, about 0.4 mm long. The style is terete, very short at anthesis, but reaching about 0.8 mm long after anthesis. The stigma is capitate. The fruit is broadly campanulate 1.4-1.8 mm by 3.0 by 3.4 mm, valves somewhat woody, conspicuous, not spreading widely on dehiscence. The seeds are turgid, reniform, papillose, about 1.5 mm long, pale yellow in colour, with a small white aril overlying the hilum (Bean, 1999).
O. obovatum differs from O. lineare by the obovate leaves 1-1.8 mm wide (linear, 0.5-1 mm wide in O. lineare), flowers 3.5-4.5 mm in diameter (2.5-3.5 mm diameter for O. lineare) and inflorescence often 3 flowered (1-2 flowered in O. lineare). O. obovatum differs from O. citriodorum by the larger seeds (1.5 mm long (0.9-1.1 mm long for O. citriodorum)), non-lemon scented leaves (lemon scented for O. citriodorum), and the 1-3 flowered inflorescence (1-flowered or O. citriodorum (Bean, 1999). - Map
- View Map
- Distribution
- Ochrosperma obovatum is known from two populations about 250 km apart. One area is east of Rolleston and the other population is south of Mundubbera. At the Rolleston locality it occurs over an area of about 5 hectares (Queensland Herbarium, 2012).
- Distributional limits
- -24.17342, 149.0427652
-25.9627778, 151.206356 - Range derivation
- Range derived from extent of the taxon's verified records
- Habitat
- Ochrosperma obovatum occurs in heathland or eucalypt woodland on relictual Tertiary surfaces, heavily lateritised, or on sandstone pavement. Associated species include: Corymbia bunites, Eucalyptus cloeziana, Callitris endlicheri, Calytrix tetragona, Melaleuca thymifolia, Triodia sp., Acacia julifera, Harmogia densifolia and Leucopogon sp. (Queensland Herbarium, 2012).
- Reproduction
- The biology of Ochrosperma obovatum is poorly known. Flowering has been recorded in June (Queensland Herbarium, 2012). Flowering is thought to be in response to rainfall (Bean, 1999).
- Status notes
- Ochrosperma obovatum is listed as Vulnerable under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992.
- Notes
- There are two known populations. The southern population comprises 250-500 plants. Part of the population lies within Allies Creek State Forest, while part lies on adjacent freehold or leasehold land. The only recent disturbance has been fence and track construction along the boundary of the state Forest. The northern population comprises about 100 plants.
- References
- Bean, A.R. (1999). Ochrosperma obovatum (Myrtaceae), a new species from south-eastern Queensland. Austrobaileya 5 (3): 499-501.
Queensland Herbarium (2012). Specimen label information. Queensland Herbarium. Accessed 20/03/2012. - Profile author
- Ronald Booth (25/06/2012)
Other resources
Data source
This profile data is sourced from the QLD Wildlife Data API using the Get species by ID function used under CC-By 4.0.
https://apps.des.qld.gov.au/species/?op=getspeciesbyid&taxonid=22331.
This information is sourced from the WildNet database managed by the Queensland Department of Environment and Science.
