14 
Notes : This species has been frequently 
misidentifiedand confused WAhboth. A. humilis 
Vahl and A. solanacea Roxb. Mez (1902) 
included A elliptica. Thunb., under A. humilis\ 
although based on the original descriptions, 
they both have quite different inflorescences. 
A further source of confusion probably 
arose because Willdenow’s specimens of 
A. solanacea represent two different species. 
Austrobai/eya 8(1): 1-23(2009) 
Mez (1902) places Willdenow herb., number 
4883 under A. humilis and number 4883 under 
A. solanacea Roxb. Ardisia elliptica Bedd., 
is also a synonym of A. solanacea Roxb.; 
however, A. elliptica Thunb., A. humilis Vahl 
and A. solanacea Roxb., are all valid species 
and may be easily distinguished as follows. 
Etymology : unknown. 
A. elliptica 
A. humilis 
A. solanacea 
Branchlets angular; petioles marginate, 0.5-1 cm long; glands in lamina 
pellucid when fresh, drying red when viewed with reflected light, 12-34 lateral 
veins on each side of midrib, marginal vein present; inflorescence axillary, 
subumbellate to umbellate; glands in corolla red. 
Branchlets terete; petioles caniculate, 0.6-1 cm long; glands in lamina pellucid, 
inconspicuous, c. 12 pairs of lateral veins each side of midrib, marginal vein 
absent; inflorescence terminal or subterminal paniculate; glands in corolla 
pellucid to orange-coloured. 
Branchlets prominently angled; petioles caniculate, 1-2 cm long; glands in 
lamina black, conspicuous, c. 20 pairs of lateral veins on each side of the midrib, 
marginal vein absent; inflorescence both terminal and axillary, paniculate to 
corymbose; glands in corolla dark red to black. 
Detailed descriptions of both A. humilis Vahl 
and A. solanacea Roxb. may be found in Chen 
& Pipoly (1995). 
6. Ardisia fasciculata C.T.White, Proc. 
Roy. Soc. Queensland 50: 80 (1939). Type: 
Queensland. Cook District: Mt Spurgeon, 
September 1936, C.T.White 10673 (holo: BRI 
[AQ23414]). 
Shrub or small tree. Leaves, alternate, spirally 
arranged, petiolate; petioles terete, 10-17 mm 
long; lamina coriaceous, broadly lanceolate 
to obovate, 7-10 cm long, 2.5-4 cm wide, 
glabrous on both surfaces except for peltate 
glandular scales on the abaxial surface; apex 
obtuse, base cuneate, margins entire, undulate, 
may be weakly revolute; midrib depressed on 
adaxial surface and raised on abaxial surface, 
lateral veins inconspicuous but visible on both 
surfaces when dry; glands not visible in dried 
leaves. Inflorescence an axillary fascicle, 3-6 
flowered; peduncle c. 0.2 mm long; pedicels 
thick, angular 6-7 mm long and c. 1.5 mm 
wide, glands difficult to distinguish. Flowers 
5-merous, c. 5 mm long; calyx campanulate; 
tube 0.75-lmm long, lobes triangular, 1.25— 
1.75 mm long, 1.25-1.75 mm wide at base, 
margins with glandular papillae, glands 
small, dark red. Corolla rotate; tube c. 2 mm 
long, lobes c.1.5 mm long, densely papillate. 
Stamens equal in length to corolla; filaments 
flattened; anthers narrowly ovate, c. 1 x 1 
mm. Ovary conical, c. 1 x 1.5 mm, glabrous, 
glands dark, stylar remains darkish. Ovules 
multiseriate, c. 14. Fruit not seen. Fig. 6. 
Distribution and habitat : Known only from 
the type specimen, a small tree collected in 
rainforest on Mt Spurgeon, North Queensland. 
Despite some recent excursions to the area no 
additional specimens has been located. 
Phenology : When C.T. White collected the 
plant in September he noted that it was just 
past flowering; however, closer examination 
found that there were remains of the corolla 
on some of the flowers. 
Notes : Regarded by White (1939) as a very 
distinctive species because of the thick 
short peduncle so that the flowers appear to 
be clustered in the axils of the subtending 
leaves. This description has been compiled 
from an examination of the type specimen 
