416 
Telopea 8(4): 2000 
1* All parts more or less glabrous, sometimes pubescent when young but glabrescent, 
hairs not irritant; leaves mostly less than 35 cm long; pinnae 5-9, the three largest 
pinnae (terminal and subterminal) usually 10-20 cm long; margins of pinnae 
dentate but not secondarily serrate; inflorescences subterminal on branchlets, borne 
amongst the leaves; styles reduced or absent, if present 2 or 3, shorter than or 
scarcely exceeding the stamens; fruit depressed-globose, with length less than 
diameter. . 3. Davidsonia johnsonii 
1. Davidsonia pruriens F. Muell. 
Mueller (1867: 4, t. XLVI); Bailey (1900: 538); Bange (1952: 294-296). 
[Davidsonia pungens was listed in Gardeners' Chronicle in 1876, p.603, but without the 
author's name. This was given as a north Australian plant and from the description is 
referred to this species.] 
Type citation: 'In silvis irriguis ad sinum Rockingham's Bay. Dallachy' 
Lectotype: designated by Bange (1952: 296) as Murray's River, Rockingham Bay: 
Dallachi/, 12 Aug 1866, a MEL collection with flowers and fruit. As there are nine sheets 
at MEL in type folders we propose that MEL 106575 be the lectotype, thus restricting 
lectotypification to a single specimen, in line with the recent addition to Article 9 of the 
Code. This specimen was annotated by Bange, it consists of portion of a leaf and fruit 
and it has a copy of the original notes of Dallachy with the date 12 th August 1866. See 
full discussion after species description. 
Illustrations: Mueller (1867: t. XLVI), Bailey (1898: t. XXXVII), Bange (1952: 295), 
Cronquist (1981: 549). 
Small slender rainforest tree to 18 m high; bark brown to dark grey, becoming flaky. 
Indumentum prominent on all parts, young growth pinkish, hairs long, irritant; red 
gland-tipped trichomes terminating teeth on margins of stipules and stipellae. Seedling 
leaves at first simple, margins dentate; becoming more or less lobed at base and pinnate 
after 12 months growth; hirsute and with some reddish glandular hairs present on 
stipules. Adult leaves (30-)60-120(-150) cm long; petiole 10-30 cm long; 15-30 mm 
diam., margins dentate; stipellae 5-8 mm long, narrow-lanceolate to lanceolate, 
sometimes divided and 2-lobed from base, margins dentate, withering and appearing 
spinose on older leaves; rachis slightly winged adaxially, wing continuous or as 
separated segments, 1-3 mm wide, segments usually absent from petiole; pinnae 
(7-)9-19; terminal pinna obovate and tapering into petiolule, lateral pinnae lanceolate 
to oblong or to oblong-ovate or oblong-obovate with basal pair of pinnae broad-ovate 
to ovate; apex acute to shortly acuminate; base rounded and ± equal in upper lateral 
pinnae, unequal in basal pinnae; margins secondarily serrate, each tooth with a hair¬ 
like point; upper surface dark green and slightly glossy, sparsely hirsute, lower surface 
fawn-hirsute; secondary veins 15-27 pairs, prominent on both surfaces; largest pinnae 
(terminal and subterminal) (12-)18-35(-46) cm long, (6-)8-12(-16) cm wide; petiolules 
0-5 mm long, up to 40 mm long on terminal pinnae. Inflorescences mostly cauliflorous 
or ramiflorous, rarely borne amongst the leaves, pendent, 12-80 cm long; peduncle 
(3-)10-18(-30) cm long; number of lateral spikes 2-24, 2-20 cm long; pedicels 1-5 mm 
long; bracts amplexicaul, c. 5 mm long; bracteoles sessile, 3-5 mm long. Flowers 4- or 
5-merous; sepals 5.0-8.0 mm long, recurved, basally connate, dark pink, outer surface 
hirsute, inner surface pubescent, persistent in fruit; stamens 4.5-7.0 mm long, 
filaments 3.5-4.6 mm long, anthers oblong, 2.0-3.0 mm long, yellow; ovary 2.3-3.0 mm 
long, hirsute; styles 2 (or 3), divided almost to base, 5.0-8.0 mm long, glabrous. 
