Lenbrassia

Full name and orig. publication: Lenbrassia G.W.Gillett, J. Arnold Arbor. 55: 431 (Sept. 1974).

Etymology: Named after Leonard J. Brass (1900-1971), an Australian botanist.

Synonyms: -

Infrafamilial position: Coronantheroid Gesneriaceae (Gesnerioideae – Coronanthereae).

Description: Small tree to 13 m tall. Stem with hard, strong wood, branched. Leaves opposite, slightly anisophyllous, shortly petiolate, lamina (ob)lanceolate, unequal at base, sharply serrate, with scabrous pubescence on both sides. Cymes axillary, 1-3-flowered, peduncle short, bracteoles linear. Sepals connate in the lower half, triangular, scabrous, persistent. Corolla tangerine orange, tube cylindrical, limb slightly bilabiate, lobes rounded, spreading. Stamens 4, filaments adnate to corolla tube distinctly above its base, twisted and curved; anthers subglobose, apically coherent. Staminode present. Disc annular, adnate to the ovary base, forming a swollen rim. Ovary superior, ovoid, passing smoothly into the style; stigma entire, spatulate-truncate. Fruit a fleshy, light green, shiny, pubescent berry.

Chromosome number: Unknown.

Type and only species: Lenbrassia australiana (C.T.White) G.W.Gillett, with two varieties.

Species names (incl. publication and synonyms): See Skog, L.E. & J.K. Boggan. 2005: World checklist of Gesneriaceae: http://persoon.si.edu/Gesneriaceae/Checklist.

Distribution: NE Australia (N Queensland). 

Ecology: Occurring in rain forest, on decomposed granite; 750-1100m.

Notes: The only species of the genus was first described under Coronanthera, from which it differs in the coherent anthers, the fleshy, indehiscent fruit and the larger, cylindrical corolla. The closest relationship is with Fieldia, into which it was indeed recently included by Burtt (1999). Because of the strong differences in habit, inflorescence and minor floral and fruit characters, confirmation should be awaited.

Selected references: Morley, J. Adelaide Bot. Gard. 1: 187-192 (1978); Wiehler, Selbyana 6: 160 (1983); Burtt, Edinburgh J. Bot. 56: 371-379 (1999), incl. into Fieldia.

Bibliography: See Skog, L.E. & J.K. Boggan. 2005. Bibliography of the Gesneriaceae. 2^nd edition: http://persoon.si.edu/Gesneriaceae/Bibliography.

Illustrations:

Lenbrassia australiana (White) G.W.Gillett J. Arnold Arbor. 55: 432, fig. 1 (1974).

last modified: 2007-07-13