Eidothea zoexylocarya (Eidothea zoexylocarya)
Description
They grow naturally to tall trees up to 40 metres (130 ft) tall, with one main trunk, up to 80 cm (31 in) diameter at breast height and without the coppice shoots around the base typical of Eidothea hardeniana. They have ash–grey bark with pale lenticels They have mostly hairless, simple leaves 45–145×15–55 mm (1.77–5.71×0.59–2.17 in), arranged opposite to each other or in whorls of 3–8. E. zoexylocarya is the only known Proteaceae to possess giant cuticular pores in its leaves (diameter 1 μm, density 120000/mm2), which could play a role in absorbing more water from mist after periods of water stress. From Sep. to May flowering occurs in axillary or terminal clusters, 1.5–2 cm (0.6–0.8 in) long, of 6–10 flowers; each flower has white or cream perianth parts 8–9 mm (0.31–0.35 in) long, fragrant and insect pollinated The fruits have a globose or ovoid shape, green to yellowish or brown, 2.1–6.0 cm (0.83–2.36 in) long x 1.8–6.5 cm (0.7–2.6 in) wide and ripen from Aug.–May. Each seed is contained in a hard woody brown endocarp with several longitudinal ribs on its inside corresponding to longitudinal intrusions in the seed surface. Giant white-tailed rats eat the seeds both on the tree and the ground. The hollowed out woody endocarps often remain around the base of the parent tree as they break down slowly.
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum:
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Class: Magnoliopsida
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Order: Proteales
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Family: Proteaceae
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Genus: Eidothea
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