Tasmannia membranea, commonly known as pepper tree, is a species of flowering plant in the family Winteraceae, and is endemic to north-eastern Queensland. It is a shrub or tree with lance-shaped or egg-shaped leaves, male and female flowers on separate plants, with two petals on each flower. The male flowers have 30 to 62 stamens, and the female flowers have a single carpel with 14 to 36 ovules, and the fruit is black.
Description Tasmannia membranea is a shrub or tree that typically grows to a height of and has striated, reddish branchlets. Its leaves are egg-shaped with the narrower end toward the base or lance-shaped, long and wide on a petiole long. Male and female flowers are borne on separate plants, each flower with 2 petals. Male flowers are borne on a pedicel long and have 30–62 stamens. Female flowers are on a pedicel long with a single sessile carpel containing 14 to 36 ovules. Flowering occurs from June to October and the fruit is black, spherical or oval, long with 4 to 7, slightly curved seeds long.
Taxonomy This species was first formally described in 1866 by Ferdinand von Mueller, who gave it the name Drimys membranea in his Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae from specimens collected by John Dallachy. In 1969, Albert Charles Smith transferred the species to Tasmannia as T. membranea in journal Taxon.
Distribution and habitat Tasmannia membranea grows in the understorey of rainforest at altitudes between from near Rossville to Paluma in north-eastern Queensland.
Conservation status This species of Tasmannia is listed as of "least concern" by the Queensland Government, Department of Education and Science.
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