''Melicope broadbentiana'', commonly known as false euodia, is a species of shrub or tree in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to Queensland. It has simple leaves, trifoliate leaves or both, and small white flowers borne in short

panicle A panicle is a much-branched inflorescence. (softcover ). Some authors distinguish it from a compound spike inflorescence, by requiring that the flowers (and fruit) be pedicellate (having a single stem per flower). The branches of a panicle are of ...

s in leaf axils.

Description

''Melicope broadbentiana'' is a tree that typically grows to a height of but also forms flowers and fruit as a shrub. The leaves are simple and/or trifoliate and arranged in opposite pairs. The simple leaves are egg-shaped to elliptical, long and wide on a petiole long. The end leaflet of trifoliate leaves is elliptical, long and wide on a petiole long. The flowers are arranged in panicles long in leaf axils. The flowers are

bisexual Bisexuality is a romantic or sexual attraction or behavior toward both males and females, or to more than one gender. It may also be defined to include romantic or sexual attraction to people regardless of their sex or gender identity, whi ...

, male-only, female only, or both male-only and female-only. The sepals are egg-shaped to round, long and fused at the base. The

petal Petals are modified Leaf, leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often advertising coloration, brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''c ...

s are white, long and the four

stamen The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filame ...

s, when present, alternate with four shorter

staminode In botany, a staminode is an often rudimentary, sterile or abortive stamen, which means that it does not produce pollen.Jackson, Benjamin, Daydon; ''A Glossary of Botanic Terms with their Derivation and Accent''; Published by Gerald Duckworth & Co. ...

s. Flowering occurs in most months and the fruit consists of up to four follicles long and fused at the base.

Taxonomy

''Melicope broadbentiana'' was first formally described in 1891 by Frederick Manson Bailey in the ''Botany Journal'' of the Department of Agriculture, Queensland from specimens collected at an altitude of on

Mount Bellenden Ker Mount Bellenden Ker is the second-highest mountain in Queensland, Australia, with a height of . It is named after the botanist John Bellenden Ker Gawler. Located south of Cairns, Queensland, Cairns near Babinda, Queensland, Babinda, it is adj ...

Distribution and habitat

False euodia grows in rainforest from sea level to an altitude of and is found between the

Mount Spurgeon National Park Mount is often used as part of the name of specific mountains, e.g. Mount Everest. Mount or Mounts may also refer to: Places * Mount, Cornwall, a village in Warleggan parish, England * Mount, Perranzabuloe, a hamlet in Perranzabuloe parish, C ...

and the Paluma Range National Park in north Queensland.

Conservation status

This species is classified as of "least concern" under the Queensland Government '' Nature Conservation Act 1992''.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q18081589 broadbentiana Sapindales of Australia Flora of Queensland Plants described in 1891 Taxa named by Frederick Manson Bailey