Sphalmium, a distinctive new genus of Proteaceae from North Queensland

Abstract

The rain-forest tree described by C. T. White as Orites racemosa is shown to have no close relationship with Orites. The genus Sphalmium is here described with the single species S. racemosum (C. T. White) Briggs et al. An amplified description is provided and the genus is discussed in relation to a current review of the systematics and phylogeny of the Proteaceae. Both morphology and karyotype (2n = 24, chromosomes c. 2.0-3.7 µm long) present difficulties in determining its subfamilial position, and the bearing on this of similar difficulties with Carnarvonia is considered. The wood anatomy of Sphalmium and Placospermum is described and discussed.