Graptophyllum spinigerum

Graptophyllum spinigerum, commonly known as Samford holly, is a species of plant in the family Acanthaceae. It is native to New Guinea and northern Australia, and was first described in 1879.

Description

Graptophyllum spinigerum is a shrub up to about tall. The leaves are arranged in opposite and pairs, with one of each pair much reduced, and they may grow to about long and wide. They are glossy dark green above and the leaf margins have about four teeth or lobes on either side. They are, i.e. the leaf stems are either extremely short or absent altogether. Spines may be present on the twigs.
The inflorescence is either an umbel, cluster, or a solitary flower, emerging from the. The flowers have five cream or white, red-spotted petals about long. The fruit is a brown capsule about long.

Taxonomy

It was first described in 1878 by the German-Australian botanist Ferdinand von Mueller, and published in his massive work Fragmenta phytographiæ Australiæ. The description was based on material collected near the Endeavour River.

Distribution and habitat

The native range of this species is from New Guinea to the Northern Territory and Queensland in Australia. It inhabits rainforest and monsoon forest, particularly in exposed situations on rocky substrates. The altitudinal range in Australia is from sea level to about.

Conservation

This species is listed as least concern under the Queensland Government's Nature Conservation Act., it has not been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.