Myrtaceae

Lophostemon Schott

First published in Wiener Z. Kunst 3: 772 (1830)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is New Guinea to Australia.

Descriptions

Timothy M. A. Utteridge and Laura V. S. Jennings (2022). Trees of New Guinea. Kew Publishing. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Distribution
A genus of four species, all native to Australia, two extending to New Guinea: Lophostemon lactifluus (F.Muell.) Peter G.Wilson & J.T.Waterh. and L. suaveolens (Sol. ex Gaertn.) Peter G.Wilson & J.T.Waterh.
Morphology General Habit
Trees to 25 m tall; bark fibrous/papery. Mature leaves alternate (young leaves may be opposite), chartaceous, ovate to lanceolate, petioles about a third of the length of the lamina, venation pinnate, tertiary veins reticulate, intra-marginal vein not present. Inflorescences many-flowered, axillary cymes, covered in short grey hairs (in New Guinea)
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers 5-merous, white or cream; calyx lobes obtuse, persistent; petals free; stamens prominent, filaments fused at the base into bundles of 30–50 (in New Guinea), 5 bundles per flower, arranged opposite the petals; stigma capitate; ovary semi-inferior, 3-locular, placentation axile, ovules numerous and randomly arranged on placentas
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit a conical, flat-topped, 3-valved capsule, enclosed within the hypanthium
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds numerous, linear; embryo with circinnate cotyledons.
Ecology
Lophostemon occurs in monsoon forests and savannahs up to 300 m.
Recognition
Characters that distinguish Lophostemon are the Eucalyptus-like leaves with fine reticulate tertiary venation and lacking an intra-marginal vein, the long petioles, short grey hairs covering the inflorescence, the stamens in fascicles and the hypanthium fully enclosing the capsular fruit. The shape and texture of the leaves resembles Eucalyptus and Corymbia but both these genera differ from Lophostemon in having leaves with intra-marginal veins and calyptrate flowers with free stamens.
[TONG]

Sources

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Neotropikey

    • Milliken, W., Klitgard, B. and Baracat, A. (2009 onwards), Neotropikey - Interactive key and information resources for flowering plants of the Neotropics.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Trees of New Guinea

    • Trees of New Guinea
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0