Atractocarpus hirtus

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Hairy gardenia
Atractocarpus hirtus.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Rubiaceae
Genus: Atractocarpus
Species:
A. hirtus
Binomial name
Atractocarpus hirtus
Synonyms [3]
  • Gardenia hirtaF.Muell.
  • Randia hirta(F.Muell.) F.Muell.
  • Rothmannia hirta(F.Muell.) Fagerl.

Atractocarpus hirtus, commonly known as the hairy gardenia or native loquat, [4] [2] is a plant in the madder family Rubiaceae, a large family of some 6,500 species with a cosmopolitan distribution. [5] This species is endemic to north-east Queensland, Australia. [4]

Contents

Description

The hairy gardenia is a straggly, woody, rainforest shrub growing up to 4 or 5 m (13 or 16 ft). [6] The stems, leaves and fruits are densely covered in soft hairs, hence the common name. Stipules are present and are around 13 mm (0.51 in) long. [4] The lanceolate leaves are simple and opposite or 3-4 whorled, measuring around 18 cm (7.1 in) long by 5 cm (2.0 in) wide, dark green, and have between 11 and 14 lateral veins on either side of the midrib. [4] [6] [7]

Flowers are pentamerous and actinomorphic, quite fragrant and borne in small terminal groups. [6] The green calyx tube is about 30 mm (1.2 in) long with lobes reduced to small teeth. [4] The corolla is white, the corolla tube is 25–30 mm (0.98–1.18 in) long with five lobes (petals) measuring 20–30 mm (0.79–1.18 in) in length. [4] The anthers, which do not extend beyond the corolla tube, measure about 6–9 mm (0.24–0.35 in) long; the pistil about 20–25 mm (0.79–0.98 in) long. [4]

This species is gynodioecious, that is, individual plants are either female or hermaphroditic. [8]

The fruits of this plant are a densely hairy drupe, somewhat pear-shaped and measuring about 20 mm (0.79 in) in diameter by 30 to 50 mm (1.2 to 2.0 in) long, including the attached calyx tube. [4] [7] The body of the fruit is orange and the calyx tube is green. They contain numerous seeds about 7 mm (0.28 in) long immersed in an orange pulp. [4] [7]

Flowering occurs from May to November, and fruits ripen from December to August. [7]

Taxonomy

Atractocarpus hirtus was first described as Gardenia hirta in 1869 by Ferdinand von Mueller in his work Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae (vol. 7), [9] from a specimen collected in 1867 by John Dallachy near the Tully River (then known as the Mackay River). [4] Mueller later transferred it to the genus Randia in his publication Systematic Census of Australian Plants of 1882. [10]

In a 1999 revision of the Australian species of Gardenia and Randia, published in Australian Systematic Botany , the Australian botanist C.F. Puttock reassigned this species and gave it the current combination Atractocarpus hirtus. [8]

Etymology

The genus name Atractocarpus is derived from the Ancient Greek terms átraktos , meaning "spindle", and karpós meaning "fruit", and refers to the spindle-shaped fruit of the type species. The species epithet hirtus is a Latin word meaning "hairy". [7]

Distribution and habitat

This species is endemic to a small part of the World Heritage listed Wet Tropics of Queensland, with a range extending from Cape Tribulation in the north to Hinchinbrook Island in the south. The altitudinal range is from sea level to around 1,000 m (3,300 ft). [4] [7]

Conservation

Atractocarpus hirtus is listed as least concern by both the IUCN and the Queensland Government's Department of Environment and Science. [1] [2]

Related Research Articles

<i>Randia</i> (plant) Genus of plants

Randia, commonly known as indigoberry, is a mostly Neotropical genus of shrubs or small trees in the Rubiaceae. As of February 2022 Plants of the World Online lists a total of 112 accepted species in the genus. Several Australian species have been reassigned to the genus Atractocarpus. These include the garden plants Atractocarpus chartaceus and A. fitzalanii.

<i>Atractocarpus chartaceus</i> Species of plant in the family Rubiaceae

Atractocarpus chartaceus, commonly known as the narrow-leaved gardenia, is a species of evergreen flowering plant in the madder and coffee family Rubiaceae. It is mostly found in subtropical rainforest of eastern Australia, and it is cultivated for its fragrant flowers and colourful fruit.

<i>Atractocarpus fitzalanii</i> Species of plant in the family Rubiaceae

Atractocarpus fitzalanii, commonly known as the brown gardenia or yellow mangosteen, is a species of plant in the coffee and madder family Rubiaceae. It is found in coastal parts of tropical Queensland, Australia. The beautifully scented flowers and glossy foliage has seen this plant enter cultivation in gardens of eastern Australia.

<i>Atractocarpus benthamianus</i> Species of plant

Atractocarpus benthamianus is a species of flowering plant in the family Rubiaceae growing in eastern Australia. It is an understorey species of subtropical and tropical rainforest on fertile soils. The natural range of distribution is from Forster, New South Wales to central Queensland. This plant features beautifully scented flowers.

<i>Atractocarpus</i> Genus of flowering plants

Atractocarpus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. Its members are commonly known as native gardenias in Australia. The genus name is derived from the Ancient Greek terms atractos "spindle", and karpos "fruit", from the spindle-shaped fruit of the type species.

<i>Phaleria clerodendron</i> Species of plant in the family Thymelaeaceae endemic to Queensland

Phaleria clerodendron, commonly known as scented daphne, scented phaleria or rosy apple, is an evergreen tree or tall shrub in the family Thymelaeaceae. It is endemic to the rainforests of north-eastern Queensland, Australia.

<i>Carnarvonia araliifolia</i> Species of plant in the family Proteaceae

Carnarvonia araliifolia, commonly known as the red oak, red silky oak, Caledonian oak or elephant's foot, is the sole species in the monotypic genus Carnarvonia, a member of the Proteaceae plant family. It is endemic to the rainforests of northeastern Queensland.

<i>Palmeria scandens</i> Species of plant in the family Monimiaceae

Palmeria scandens, commonly known as the anchor vine or pomegranate vine, is a climbing plant in the family Monimiaceae prevalent in rainforests of Queensland and New South Wales. It may also be present in New Guinea.

<i>Sida spenceriana</i> Species of flowering plant

Sida spenceriana is a small plant in the family Malvaceae found in Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia

Amyema plicatula is a species of hemi-parasitic shrub found in the Bismarck Archipelago, New Guinea, New South Wales and Queensland.

<i>Gardenia actinocarpa</i> Species of plant endemic to Queensland

Gardenia actinocarpa is a rare and endangered plant in the madder family Rubiaceae that grows in a very restricted area within the Wet Tropics rainforest of north-east Queensland.

Christopher Francis Puttock, often cited as C.F.Puttock, is an Australian botanist and taxonomist who has interests in the Rubiaceae and Asteraceae flowering plant families as well as Pteridophyta (ferns) and Rhodophyta.

<i>Xanthophyllum octandrum</i> Species of tree in the family Polygalaceae

Xanthophyllum octandrum, commonly known as Macintyre's boxwood, false jitta, yellow boxwood or sovereignwood, is a slow-growing tree in the milkwort family Polygalaceae which has the potential to reach thousands of years of age. It is endemic to coastal northeastern Queensland, Australia.

<i>Alstonia muelleriana</i> Species of plant in the family Apocynaceae

Alstonia muelleriana is a tree in the dogbane family Apocynaceae which is native to southern Papua New Guinea and northeastern Queensland.

<i>Atractocarpus merikin</i> Species of plant in the family Rubiaceae

Atractocarpus merikin, commonly known as the mountain gardenia or merikin, is a plant in the Rubiaceae family endemic to northeast Queensland.

<i>Alpinia arctiflora</i> Species of plant in the family Zingiberaceae

Alpinia arctiflora, commonly known as the pleated ginger, is a plant in the ginger family Zingiberaceae which is endemic to northeastern Queensland.

<i>Alyxia oblongata</i> Species of plant in the family Apocynaceae

Alyxia oblongata, commonly known as the chain fruit, prickly lixy, or prickly Alyxia, is a plant in the dogbane family Apocynaceae endemic to a small part of northeastern Queensland.

<i>Archidendron vaillantii</i> Species of plant in the family Fabaceae

Archidendron vaillantii, commonly known as the salmon bean, is an evergreen tree in the legume family Fabaceae. It is endemic to the rainforests of northeast Queensland.

<i>Lasianthus chlorocarpus</i> Species of plant in the family Rubiaceae

Lasianthus chlorocarpus, commonly known as blue rubi, is a plant in the family Rubiaceae native to parts of Malesia, Papuasia and Australia. It is an evergreen shrub growing up to 2 m high in well developed rainforest.

<i>Atractocarpus sessilis</i> Species of plant in the family Rubiaceae

Atractocarpus sessilis, commonly known as brown randia, is an evergreen shrub in the family Rubiaceae. It is native to both Queensland, Australia, and New Guinea.

References

  1. 1 2 IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group & Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI). (2021). "Atractocarpus hirtus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2021: e.T192498163A192498165. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T192498163A192498165.en . Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 "Species profile—Atractocarpus hirtus". Queensland Department of Environment and Science. Queensland Government . Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Atractocarpus hirtus". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Atractocarpus hirtus". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants (RFK8). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government . Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  5. "Rubiaceae". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants (RFK8). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, Australian Government . Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 Jones, David L. (1986). Rainforest Plants of Australia. Bowgowlah, NSW, Australia: Reed Books. p. 94. ISBN   0 7301 0381 1. Randia hirta
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Cooper, Wendy; Cooper, William T. (June 2004). Fruits of the Australian Tropical Rainforest. Clifton Hill, Victoria, Australia: Nokomis Editions. p. 435. ISBN   9780958174213 . Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  8. 1 2 Puttock, C.F.; Quinn, C.J. (1999). "Generic concepts in Australian Gardenieae (Rubiaceae): a cladistic approach". Australian Systematic Botany . 12 (2): 181–199. doi:10.1071/SB98001 . Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  9. von Mueller, Ferdinand. "v.7 1869-71 - Fragmenta phytographiæ Australiæ". Biodiversity Heritage Library. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  10. von Mueller, Ferdinand. "Systematic Census of Australian Plants". Biodiversity Heritage Library . p. 74. Retrieved 16 May 2021.