| Mountain gardenia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Flowers | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Gentianales |
| Family: | Rubiaceae |
| Genus: | Atractocarpus |
| Species: | A. merikin |
| Binomial name | |
| Atractocarpus merikin | |
 | |
| Synonyms [3] | |
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Atractocarpus merikin, commonly known as the mountain gardenia or merikin, is a plant in the Rubiaceae family endemic to northeast Queensland, Australia.
Atractocarpus merikin is an evergreen shrub growing up to 3 m (9.8 ft) in height, occasionally 5 m (16 ft), with separate male and female plants. [4] [5] The dark green leaves are arranged in opposite pairs and may be up to 18 cm (7.1 in) long by 6 cm (2.4 in) wide. They are narrow at the base and broadest near the far end of the blade, and the base is auriclulate and sessile or almost sessile. [4] [5]
The inflorescences may consist of panicles, fascicles or solitary flowers, and are produced in the leaf axils. [5] The white fragrant flowers have 5 petals and measure about 50 mm (2.0 in) diameter. [5] The calyx lobes are about 1 mm (0.039 in) long, the corolla tube about 15–20 mm (0.59–0.79 in) long. [4]
The fruit is an orange, pink or reddish drupe between 35 and 70 mm (1.4 and 2.8 in) long and 25 and 45 mm (0.98 and 1.77 in) wide, containing numerous brown patelliform (i.e. like a shallow dish) seeds. [4] [5]
Flowering occurs from October to February, fruits ripen from July to February. [5]
This species was first described in 1902 by the English born Australian botanist Frederick Manson Bailey in his book The Queensland Flora, in which he gave it the name Gardenia merikin. [6] In 1999 the Australian botanist Christopher Francis Puttock transferred the taxon to the genus Atractocarpus , which is the current combination. [2] [3]
The genus name Atractocarpus is created from the Ancient Greek words atractos (spindle) and karpos (fruit). It refers to the shape of the fruit of the type species, Atractocarpus bracteatus . The species epithet merikin is the local indigenous name for the plant. [5] [6]
Merikin grows in well developed rainforest from Mt Spurgeon (source of the Mossman River), to the Tully River, at altitudes from around 80 m (260 ft) to 1,300 m (4,300 ft). [4] [5]
This species is listed by the Queensland Department of Environment and Science as least concern. [1] As of 13 October 2023 [update] , it has not been assessed by the IUCN.
Agathis robusta, commonly known as kauri pine, Queensland kauri (pine), Australian kauri (pine) or smooth-barked kauri, is a coniferous tree in the family Araucariaceae. Although sometimes called a pine it is not a true pine, having leaves rather than needles. It has a disjunct distribution, occurring in Papua New Guinea and Queensland, Australia. Populations in Papua New Guinea may be treated as the distinct species Agathis spathulata.
Athertonia is a monotypic genus of plants in the family Proteaceae. The sole described species is Athertonia diversifolia, commonly known as Atherton oak, athertonia, creamy silky oak or white oak. It is endemic to a small part of the Wet Tropics of Queensland, Australia. A relative of the macadamia, it has potential in horticulture and the bushfood industry.
Normanbya is a monotypic genus of palms containing the single species Normanbya normanbyi, which is known by the common name black palm It is endemic to Queensland, Australia and is threatened by habitat destruction.
Alpinia caerulea, commonly known as native ginger or Australian ginger, is an understorey perennial herb in the family Zingiberaceae which grows in rainforest, gallery forest and wet sclerophyll forest in eastern Australia.
Calamus australis, commonly known as wait-a-while, hairy mary or lawyer cane, is a plant in the palm family Arecaceae which is endemic to the rainforests of north east Queensland, Australia. Like other species in the genus Calamus, this is a climbing plant with a very long and flexible stem. It uses sharp strong hooks on the fronds and tendrils to attach itself to other vegetation, such as taller established trees, thus gaining support that enables it to grow higher towards the canopy. This species is very similar to C. radicalis, with which it coexists, but is smaller in almost all respects.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Alchornea ilicifolia, commonly known as the native holly, is a bush of eastern Australia. It grows in or on the edges of the drier rainforests in coastal parts of New South Wales and Queensland.
Dysoxylum pettigrewianum, commonly known as spur mahogany, spurwood, or Cairns satinwood, is a large tree in the family Meliaceae. It is native to the rainforests of Malesia, Papuasia and Queensland. In Queensland it occurs only in a small part of the northeast coast.
Dysoxylum arborescens, commonly known in Australia as Mossman mahogany, is a small tree in the mahogany family Meliaceae. It is native to rainforests of Malesia, Papuasia, Queensland and nearby islands.
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.
Atractocarpus hirtus, commonly known as the hairy gardenia or native loquat, is a plant in the madder family Rubiaceae, a large family of some 6,500 species with a cosmopolitan distribution. This species is endemic to northeastern Queensland, Australia.
Myristica insipida, commonly known in Australia as Australian nutmeg, Queensland nutmeg or native nutmeg, is a small rainforest tree in the family Myristicaceae native to parts of Malesia, Papuasia and Australia. It is closely related to the commercially-important species of nutmeg, M. fragrans.
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.
Ormosia ormondii, commonly known as yellow bean, is a tree in the legume family Fabaceae which is endemic to northeastern Queensland, Australia.
Piper mestonii, commonly known as Queensland long pepper or simply long pepper, is an evergreen vine in the pepper family Piperaceae native to rainforests of New Guinea and Queensland, Australia.
Leea nova-guineensis, commonly known as bandicoot berry, is a plant in the family Vitaceae native to parts of Malesia and Oceania.
Polyosma rhytophloia, commonly known as wrinkled bark polyosma, is a plant in the family Escalloniaceae which is endemic to parts of eastern Queensland, Australia. It is an evergreen small tree growing up to 11 m (36 ft) high. The glabrous (hairless) leaves may be 7 to 12 cm long and 2 to 6 cm wide, with a number of very fine teeth along the margins. The veins are prominent on both sides of the blade, and the midrib is often purple on the underside.
Data related to Atractocarpus merikin at Wikispecies
Media related to Atractocarpus merikin at Wikimedia Commons