Pentachondra dehiscens sp. nov. - An aberrant new member of Styphelieae

Abstract

A new species of Styphelieae collected from the Blue Mountains region of New South Wales is described. Cladistic analyses of morphological and molecular data show that the species has a strong affinity with the genus Pentachondra. The genus is redefined to accommodate the following features of the new species: a drupaceous fruit with 6–11 locules in which the mesocarp splits to release the separate pyrenes at maturity and a more complex inflorescence.