Cupaniopsis cooperorum, commonly known as Cooper's puzzle,[2] is a species of flowering plant in the soapberry family and is endemic to Queensland. It is a small tree with paripinnate leaves with 8 to 14 lance-shaped leaflets with the narrower end towards the base, separate male and female, cream-coloured flowers arranged in panicles, the fruit an orange-pink capsule.
| Cooper's puzzle | |
|---|---|
| |
| Leaves and flowers | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Sapindales |
| Family: | Sapindaceae |
| Genus: | Cupaniopsis |
| Species: | C. cooperorum
|
| Binomial name | |
| Cupaniopsis cooperorum | |
Description
editCupaniopsis cooperorum is small tree that typically grows to a height of up to 7 m (23 ft) and often has many stems. The leaves are paripinnate with about 8 to 14 leaflets on a petiole 52–70 mm (2.0–2.8 in) long, the leaflets lance-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, 47–170 mm (1.9–6.7 in) long 15–55 mm (0.59–2.17 in) wide on a rhachis 160–190 mm (6.3–7.5 in) long and the edges wavy. Separate male and female flowers are borne in panicles 20–110 mm (0.79–4.33 in) long, each flower on a pedicel 2–6 mm (0.079–0.236 in) long. The sepals have three large lobes 2.0–2.5 mm (0.079–0.098 in) long and two smaller lobes. The petals are about 1.5 mm (0.059 in) long with hairy glands on the inner surface and there are 8 stamens. The fruit is orange-pink and about 15–20 mm (0.59–0.79 in) long and wide. The seeds are glossy black and almost covered an orange aril.[2][3][4]
Taxonomy
editCupaniopsis cooperorum was first formally described in 2002 by Paul Irwin Forster in the journal Austrobaileya from specimens collected in the Wooroonooran National Park in 2002.[5] The specific epithet (cooperorum) honours the botanist Wendy Elizabeth Cooper and her husband, William "Bill" Cooper (1934–2015).[2]
Distribution and habitat
editCooper's puzzle grows in vineforest on red basalt soils on the Atherton Tableland at altitudes between 650–750 m (2,130–2,460 ft).[2][4]
References
edit- ^ "Cupaniopsis cooperorum". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
- ^ a b c d Kodela, Phillip G. "Cupaniopsis cooperorum". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
- ^ Forster, Paul Irwin (2002). "Cupaniopsis cooperorum (Sapindaceae), a new species from the Wet Tropics, Queensland". Austrobaileya. 6 (2): 267–270. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
- ^ a b "Cupaniopsis cooperorum". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
- ^ "Cupaniopsis cooperorum". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 22 July 2024.