Common name: White Beech
Gmelina leichhardtii (F.Muell.) Benth. APNI* 
Description: Tree up 30 m high, often semi-deciduous; bark greyish and ± scaly.
Leaves with lamina elliptic to ± ovate, mostly 8–20 cm long, 5–10 cm wide, apex ± acuminate, base rounded or ± cuneate, margins entire or irregularly toothed in juveniles, ± leathery, upper surface dark green and ± glabrous, lower surface fawnish and tomentose and with veins prominently raised; petiole 1.5–5 cm long, tomentose.
Inflorescences ± pyramidal, 10–25 cm long. Calyx 4–6 mm long. Corolla 20–25 mm long, creamy-white with yellow and purple markings; lobes c. 7 mm long. Longest stamens 12–13 mm long.
Drupe depressed-globose, usually 15–20 mm diam., bluish purple when ripe.
Flowering: November–January
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in subtropical, riverine and littoral rainforest; north from Berry NC CC; Qld.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC
Other Australian states: Qld
Previously included in the family Verbenaceae.
Text by B. J. Conn
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 3 (1992)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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