Fell et all., Gnetum gnemon in Australia 
423 
Fig. 1 . Leaves of Gnetum gnemon on Badu Island (Fell 10206 & Stanton). Photo: D.G. Fell 
Results and discussion 
Gnetum gnemon in Torres Strait 
Badu Island 
Badu Island is situated approximately midway 
between the tip of Cape York Peninsula and 
mainland New Guinea, and belongs to the 
Near Western Group of Torres Strait Islands. 
It is a continental island of 10,467 ha, centred 
at 10° 07’ S, 142° 09’ E and located around 
92 km south of the Papua New Guinea (PNG) 
coastline and 70 km NW of Cape York (Map 
1). The island is the homeland of the Badulgal 
people with a population of 784 people as 
at the 2011 census (Australian Bureau of 
Statistics 2012). 
The coarse grained Badu granite 
dominates the landscape, forming the island’s 
rugged interior of low rocky hillocks with 
massive granite boulders. Granite basement 
rock is overlain on its margins by younger 
unconsolidated deposits including alluvial 
deposits and extensive dune fields of varying 
age and geomorphic expression (Willmott 
& Powell 1977; Garnett & Jackes 1983; 3D 
Environmental 2011a). 
A total of 49 vegetation communities 
within 20 broad vegetation groups and 32 
Regional Ecosystems are recognised across 
the island, within which 592 plant species 
have been recorded. The flora comprises 
560 native species with 17 ferns, one cycad, 
one conifer and 572 flowering plants (3D 
Environmental 2011a). 
Mua Island 
Mua (also known as Moa) Island lies adjacent 
and immediately to the east-south east of 
Badu, being separated by a narrow (2.5 km 
wide) channel. Situated approximately 55 km 
