Prior names
Didymotheca cupressiformis
Didymotheca tepperi
Etymology
Gyrostemon from the Greek 'gyros' meaning a circle and 'stemon' meaning a stamen, alluding to the whorled stamens. Tepperi named after John William Tepper (1868–1957), son of Johann Gottlieb Otto Tepper, who collected extensively at and near Roebuck Bay (where the type specimen for this species was collected from) before sending them to his father, who forwarded them to Mueller for identification.
Distribution and status
Found in the far north-western and north-eastern parts of South Australia, growing on spinifex-dominated sandplains, low sandy rises and dunefields. Also fond in Western Australia, Northern Territory and Queensland. Native. Rare in South Australia. Rare in Queensland. Common in the other States. More common post fire.
Herbarium regions: North Western, Lake Eyre
NRM regions: Alinytjara Wilurara, South Australian Arid Lands
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Multi-stemmed shrub to 2 m high with a green canopy and smooth pinkish or yellowish bark. Leaves alternate, linear, terete, glabrous, to 35 mm long and 1 mm wide. Male and female flowers on separate plants. The perianth is green and consists of fused similar segments. Males flowers 1 to 2, rarely 3 on short racemes with 7-10 stamens in one whorl. Female flower 1 or 2, with the ovary having 2 carpels but often only one develops into the mature fruit. Flowering between June to September. Fruits are reddish-yellow ovate to almost semicircular fleshy fruit often with undulate transverse ridges from the centre and a flattened aril, wrapped around much of the seed. Seeds are brown reniform seed with a rugose surface. Seed embryo type is curved linear fully developed.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between August and November. Collect fruits that are fat, turning reddish or starting to dry and fall off easily. Place the fruits in a tray and leave to dry for a week. Then rub the fruit gently by hand to dislodge the seeds from the papery wing. Use a sieve to separate the unwanted material. Store the seeds with a desiccant such as dried silica beads or dry rice, in an air tight container in a cool and dry place. This species is generally difficult to germinate, it has morpho-physiological dormancy and complex germination requirements. This species is considered a fire responsive species.