Tristellateia australasiae A.Rich.

Liana, up to c. 10 m, only youngest parts appressedly short white-haired, quickly glabres-cent. Twigs terete, lenticellate, internodes up to 25 cm, nodes somewhat thickened. Leaves rarely subopposite or exceptionally in whorls of 3, ovate to ovate-oblong, 1.5-2.5 times as long as broad, 6-12 by 4-7 cm, glabrous; base rounded to slightly cordate, seldom acute, 2 glands mostly present; apex narrowed, acute or acuminate; midrib not or slightly prominent above, prominent below, nerves 4-5 pairs; margin somewhat recurved, glandless; petiole about 1-1.5 cm, distinctly sulcate, often scarcely haired. Stipules linear-lanceolate, 1 mm, acute. Inflorescences terminal or on mostly 2-leaved branchlets; rhachis (5-)10-25 cm long, very scarcely haired. Pedicels about decussate, 1.5-2(-3) cm long, distinctly articulated below the middle, lower portion persistent. Bracts thin, acute, 1-2 mm. Bracteoles minute. Flowers 2-2½ cm in diam., bright yellow. Sepals triangular, blunt, glabrous, glandless, about 3 by 1.5 mm. Petals 2-3 mm unguiculate, limb elliptic, 8-13 by 5-6 mm, base truncate to slightly hastate, top rounded. Filaments 3-4 and 1.5-2.5 mm, narrowed upwards, glabrous, at first yellowish, getting red, and when the anthers have fallen brightly red; anthers lanceolate, 2-3 mm long, connective narrow and only dorsally visible. Ovary c. 1 mm in diam., short-haired, at 3 sides provided with a whorl of papillae; style terete, 6-7 mm, glabrous. Mericarps proper about globular and 2-4 mm in diam., whole samaras including the ± 8 appendages 1-2 cm in diam.

Plant from brushwood and rain-forest on and beyond sea-shores, in the Barringtonia fringe, in the transitional zone between rain-forest and mangrove, in tidal swamps, along littoral creeks and estuaries, more landwards sometimes cultivated. Fl. throughout the year.