12 
Notes : This species may be distinguished from 
the related species Ardisia brevipedata , by the 
reduced number of flowers per inflorescence 
(4-8 versus 12-25) and by the usually smaller 
flowers. The distribution of these two species 
overlap within the Wet Tropics; however, 
A. brevipedata is more widespread. Although 
there is an overlap in leaf size, the leaves in 
this species are generally smaller than in 
A. brevipedata. Sterile herbarium material 
may be difficult to assign; however, little 
difficulty has been experienced in the field. An 
excellent collection is Hyland 8778 and in the 
absence of the type in Australia this collection 
should be used as a reference, together with 
photos of the type specimen which have been 
lodged at BRI, CANB, CNS and NSW. 
Etymology : From the Latin depauperatus 
- reduced, starved, referring to the smaller 
number of flowers in the inflorescence. 
5. Ardisia elliptica Thunb., Nov. Gen. PI. 
8: 119 (1798). Type: Sri Lanka (holo: UPS- 
Thunberg herbarium, sheets 5320, 5321 
[microfiche seen]). 
Shrub or small tree to 4 m tall, bark grey; 
branchlets somewhat angular, glabrous, young 
growth reddish. Leaves spirally arranged, 
petiolate; petiole (2—)5—12(—15) cm long, 
reddish, marginate, usually flat on adaxial 
surface; lamina chartaceous, oblanceolate 
to elliptic-lanceolate, (5—)8—13.2 cm long, 
(1.4-) 3-4.6 cm wide, adaxial surface glossy 
green, abaxial surface paler, glabrous except 
for some scattered scales; apex obtuse to 
acuminate, base cuneate, margins smooth, 
midrib flat or slightly depressed on adaxial 
surface, raised on abaxial surface; lateral 
veins relatively inconspicuous, 20-34 pairs 
on either side of the midrib, looping near the 
margin to form an intramarginal vein; glands 
globular to shortly lineate, length:breadth ratio 
to 4:1, pellucid when fresh drying to orange- 
red or red, visible as bumps on both surfaces 
of dried leaves. Inflorescence terminal or 
subterminal, umbellate to subumbellate, 
4-5 cm long, flowers 6-11 per inflorescence; 
peduncle reddish 2-3.5 cm long; pedicels 8-17 
mm long, often curved, reddish and pellucid 
glands drying red; subtending bracts to 2 x 
2 mm, soon caducous. Flowers 5-merous, to 
Austrobaileya 8(1): 1-23(2009) 
10 mm long. Calyx 5-lobed, green; tube 0.5-1 
mm long; lobes rounded, 1.5-3mm long, 
1.5-2 mm wide at base, margins scarious and 
ciliolate, glands irregular drying red to very 
dark red. Corolla rotate, pale pink; corolla- 
tube c. 1 mm long, lobes spreading after 
anthesis, 7-9 mm long, 3-4 mm wide, glands 
drying reddish, dots or short streaks. Stamens 
opposite the petals; filaments c. 2 mm long, 
fused at base to form a short tube c. 0.5 mm 
long which weakly adheres to the corolla- 
tube and may alternate with 1-5 pink petaloid 
staminodes to 1 mm long; anthers connivent 
around the exserted style, 4-5 mm long and 
1.5 mm wide tapering to an apiculate apex, 
septate, opening by introrse longitudinal slits, 
dark red glands obvious on the back. Ovary 
globular, c. 1 mm diameter, tapering to the 
style glands present; ovules multiseriate, 17- 
20 embedded in the placenta; style 5-9 mm 
long, glands prominent, stigma punctiform. 
Fruit depressed globular, 6-8 mm wide, 5-7 
mm high, fleshy, green to dark pink to black at 
maturity. Seed, 5 mm diameter; testa brown, 
with pinkish tinge when fresh, shoebutton 
Ardisia. Fig. 5. 
Additional selected specimens (from c. 20 examined): 
Northern Territory. Nhulunbuy, Town Lagoon, May 
1996, Cowie 7045 (BRI). Queensland. Cook District: 
Weipa Campground, Apr 2004, Waterhouse BMW6845 
(BRI); Cassia Street, Edge Hill, Cairns, Apr 2001, 
Woodward s.n. (BRI [AQ669650]); Kennedy Highway, 
Atherton, Aug 2002, WilJetss.n. (CNS123780); Babinda, 
Mar 1998, Jago 780 (CNS). South Kennedy District: 
Slade Point, Dunal System, Jun 1992, Champion 727 
(BRI). Moreton District: Calamvale south of Brisbane, 
1975 Beaudesert Road, Jul 2000, White s.n. (BRI [AQ 
490024]). 
Distribution and habitat : Originally found 
in Thailand, Vietnam, China, Taiwan, Japan, 
Philippines and Indonesia, this species has 
becomes a serious weed in many countries 
particularly on many Pacific Islands and in 
southern Florida (PIER 2008). In Australia it 
is naturalised in the Northern Territory and 
Queensland (Map 5). It prefers moist areas 
particularly in rainforest and associated areas. 
The black drupes are attractive to birds that 
disperse the seeds. 
Phenology : Flowering occurs mainly in spring 
and summer. Fruits have been commonly 
collected in the late summer to late winter 
period. 
