Species profile—Gossia gonoclada
Classification
Plantae (plants) → Equisetopsida (land plants) → Myrtaceae → Gossia gonoclada
Sighting data
Species details
- Kingdom
- Plantae (plants)
- Class
- Equisetopsida (land plants)
- Family
- Myrtaceae
- Scientific name
- Gossia gonoclada (F.Muell. ex Benth.) N.Snow & Guymer
- WildNet taxon ID
- 27386
- Synonym(s)
- Austromyrtus gonoclada
- Alternate name(s)
- angle-stemmed myrtle
- Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NCA) status
- CR
- Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) status
- Endangered
- Conservation significant
- Yes
- Confidential
- No
- Endemicity
- Native
- Pest status
- Nil
- Description
- Gossia gonoclada is a tree 3-12m high with a dense canopy of glossy, deep green foliage. The new leaves have a pink flush and the bark is pale red-brown in colour and is either flaky or scaly. The most distinctive characteristics of this species are the four raised corners on the angled branchlets and the unique scent of the leaves when crushed.
The flowers are white with 4-5 smooth petals, are 6-9mm in diameter, and occur singly at the base of the leaves. The fruit is a globular, glossy, soft fleshed black berry 7-12mm in diameter.
The winged branchlets, slightly retuse leaf apex, and 5-merous flowers distinguish G. gonoclada from similar species in the area. (A. gonoclada Recovery Team 2001; Snow & Guymer 2003; DEWHA 2008) - Map
- View Map
- Distribution
- Gossia gonoclada is currently known from sites along the lower reaches of the Brisbane and Logan Rivers and their tributaries. Specimens from the 1860s were also collected from Moggill, southeast Queensland. (A. gonoclada Recovery Team 2001; Herbrecs 2008)
- Distributional limits
- -27.4734026, 152.9594066
-27.9264977, 153.5010596 - Range derivation
- Range derived from extent of the taxon's verified records
- Habitat
- Gossia gonoclada is found in lowland riparian rainforest and notophyll vine forest, along permanent watercourses subject to tidal influence. It usually grows below the peak flood level, on steep slopes and at low elevations of 5-50m. It occurs on moderately well drained clay soils, sandy loams and alluvial soils. (A. gonoclada Recovery Team 2001)
- Behaviour
- Gossia gonoclada flowers are likely to be pollinated by native bees. As the seeds are located within a sweet, soft and fleshy fruit, it is suspected that they are dispersed by animals, particularly birds and bats. Other animals such as lizards and small mammals may play a role in seed dispersal. (A. gonoclada Recovery Team 2001)
- Reproduction
- Gossia gonoclada reproduces both vegetatively (from stem suckers following damage to the main stem) and from seed. Seed germination occurs in 8-60 days and nursery-grown seedlings can reach a height of 30cm in 12 months. It is not known at what age or size the tree reaches maturity. Buds and flowers appear in late spring (October to November) with the fruits ripening from mid-January to February. The fruits remain viable for only a short period and the quantity and viability of the fruit produced varies markedly from year to year. (A. gonoclada Recovery Team 2001)
- Management documents
- Austromyrtus gonoclada Recovery Team (2001). Recovery plan for the angle-stemmed myrtle Austromyrtus gonoclada 2001-2005. Report to Environment Australia, Canberra. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Brisbane.
- Notes
- Contributors: Gordon Guymer, Mellisa Mayhew 18/06/2009
- References
- Austromyrtus gonoclada Recovery Team (2001). Recovery plan for the angle-stemmed myrtle Austromyrtus gonoclada 2001-2005. Report to Environment Australia, Canberra. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Brisbane.
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (2008). Gossia gonoclada in Species Profile and Threats Database, Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Canberra. Accessed 01/10/2008.
Herbrecs (2008). Gossia gonoclada, in BriMapper version 2.12. Queensland Herbarium. Accessed 01/10/2008.
Snow, N. & Guymer, G.P. (2003). Systematics of Austromyrtus, Lenwebbia, and Australian species of Gossia (Myrtaceae). Systematic Botany Monographs 65. - Profile author
- Gordon Guymer (18/06/2009)
Other resources
- Species Profile and Threats Database (SPRAT)
- The Australasian Virtual Herbarium (AVH)
- Atlas of Living Australia
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=27386.
This information is sourced from the WildNet database managed by the Queensland Department of Environment and Science.
