18 
Dec 1990, Lyons 87 (BRI); ibid , Lyons 88 (JCT); North 
Bell Peak, upper western slopes, Malbon Thompson 
Range, Jun 1996, Forster PIF18014 et al. (BRI, CNS); 
Wooroonooran N.P., Mt Bellenden Ker summit, Dec 
2001, Forster PIF27938 et al. (BRI); Boonjee L. A., near 
Bartle Frere track S of Bobbin Bobbin Falls, 5.4 km NE 
Boonjee, Oct 1988, Jessup GJM338 etal. (BRI); Babinda 
Creek, Oct 2000, Jago 1255 (CNS); Mt Bartle Frere, 
South Peak, Mar 1997, Gray 7130 (CNS); Russell River, 
1892, Johnson s.n. (MEL1612571); Mourilyan Harbour, 
Feb 1890, Bailey s.n. (BRI [AQ91568]). 
Distribution and habitat : Rainforest 
understory shrub or small tree, found from 
south of Cooktown (15°30'S) to the Mt Bartle 
Frere and Innisfail area south of Cairns 
(17°30'S) (Map 6). Altitude from sea-level to 
1500 m although most collections have been 
made above 400 m altitude. 
Phenology : Neither flowers nor fruits have 
been collected from May to July inclusive. 
Notes : This species is similar to Ardisia 
brevipedata but can be distinguished by the 
adaxial surface being dull rather than a glossy 
green; the robust inflorescence and the flowers 
usually more numerous, (in A. pachyrrhachis 
(10—)19—45 versus 12-25 in A. brevipedata). 
Foliicolous lichens are common on the 
adaxial surface of the older leaves and leafy 
liverworts are also often present. 
Etymology : The specific epithet refers to 
the thick peduncle of the inflorescence and 
is derived from the Greek pachys - thick or 
stout, and rach- main axis. 
8. Ardisia sanguinolenta Blume, Bijdr. 685 
(1826). Type: Java, s.dat., Blume s.n. (holo: 
L900.211-170). 
Ardisia colorata Roxb., FI. Ind. ed. Carey, 2: 
271 (1824), nom. illeg. non Link (1821). Type: 
Illustration, W. Roxburgh Icon. No. 2126 (K). 
Illustrations : Du Puy (1993: 180, figs. 41F- 
H), Claussen (2005: 63), all as A. colorata. 
Notes : This species has been known as Ardisia 
colorata for over 170 years (e.g. Larsen & Hu 
1996). Recently these authors established that 
A. sanguinolenta Blume was the correct name 
for this species and that A. colorata should be 
placed in synonymy (Larsen & Hu 2001). 
This variable species is found on 
Christmas Island and is distributed from 
Austrobaileya 8(1): 1-23(2009) 
India and southern China east to Java. The 
Christmas Island specimens of this species 
can be distinguished from Asian material 
by the young stems being slightly winged. A 
description of this species may be found in Du 
Puy (1993) as A. colorata. 
Taxonomy of Tetrardisia 
Tetrardisia was erected by Mez (1902) to 
accommodate a single species (Ardisia 
denticulata Blume) which had 4-merous 
flowers and less than 10 ovules. Stone (1989) 
considered Tetrardisia to be a valid genus 
with three species distributed from the Malay 
Peninsula through Borneo and Java. These 
species, Tetrardisia corneri Furtado, T. porosa 
(C.B.Clarke) Furtado, and T. tetrasepala 
(King & Gamble) Furtado, together with 
T. denticulata (Blume) Mez are all 4-merous 
and have 6 or 7 ovules in one series. Larsen 
& Hu (1995) placed Tetrardisia in synonymy 
under Ardisia but at the rank of subgenus. 
Stahl & Anderberg (2004) again recognized 
Tetrardisia as a valid genus. However, 
neither Stone (1992) nor Larsen & Hu (1995) 
mentioned the Australian taxon described 
as Tetrardisia disticha by Domin (1928) 
and which is synonymous with Tetrardisia 
bifaria. 
Thus, currently after including a species 
from Thailand described by Larsen & Hu 
(1991) as A. tetramera Larsen & Hu, there 
are at least six species in this genus. Another 
species with 4-merous, unisexual flowers 
described by Stone (1982) as Tetrardisia 
fruticosa B.C. Stone, was subsequently 
transferred by him to Systellantha B.C.Stone 
(Stone 1992). 
Tetrardisia Mez in Engler, Pflanzenr. 
9(IV.236): 189 (1902); Ardisia subgenus 
Tetrardisia (Mez) K.Larsen & C.M.Hu, Nord. 
J. Bot. 15: 162 (1995). Type: Tetrardisia 
denticulata (Blume) Mez. (syn: Ardisia 
denticulata Blume). 
Shrubs or small trees to 3 m tall, often 
slender. Leaves sessile, subsessile to petiolate 
(non-Australian); lamina usually elliptic to 
lanceolate; margins crenate, serrulate or 
more or less entire, abaxial surface glabrous 
or pubescent; glands dark-coloured, chiefly 
