| Scrub breadfruit | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Foliage and ripe fruit | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Pandanales |
| Family: | Pandanaceae |
| Genus: | Benstonea |
| Species: | B. monticola |
| Binomial name | |
| Benstonea monticola | |
 | |
| Synonyms [4] | |
| |
Benstonea monticola, commonly known as scrub breadfruit or urchin-fruited pandan, is a plant in the family Pandanaceae which is endemic to rainforested parts of north east Queensland, Australia.
The scrub breadfruit is an evergreen shrub or small tree usually growing to between 3 and 6 m (9.8 and 19.7 ft) high, [5] [6] and rarely to 10 m (33 ft). [6] [7] It produces multiple stems which are weak and become decumbent with age, i.e. they lean to one side and eventually lie on the ground with just the growing tip erect. [6] The stems measure around 5 cm (2.0 in) in diameter, and prop roots (found in many species of Pandanaceae) are absent. [5] [6] [7]
The leaves are tightly clustered on the growing tip of the stem and are arranged spirally. They are very long and narrow, measuring up to 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) long by 5 cm (2.0 in) wide, [5] [6] [7] and are ascendant to arching. [6] They are dark green above and a lighter green below, and are pleated such that they have an M-shaped cross-section. [6] [7] Small spines are present on the leaf margins (edges) and the underside of the midrib. [5] [6] [7]
This species is dioecious, meaning that functionally female and functionally male flowers are borne on separate plants. [5] The inflorescence is a terminal spike, enclosed by large creamy-white bracts. [5]
The fruit is a multiple fruit, in other words it is a single body consisting of the merged maturing ovaries of a cluster of flowers (cf. aggregate fruit). It is orange-red to bright red, roughly spherical to slightly egg-shaped, and measures up to 12 by 12 cm (4.7 by 4.7 in) [5] [6] [7] Each fruit contains over 300 segments around 3 cm (1.2 in) long by 0.4 cm (0.16 in) wide, each tipped by a persistent style. [5] [6] [7]
Benstonea monticola was first described as Pandanus monticola by the German-born botanist Ferdinand von Mueller, and published three times in his massive work Fragmenta phytographiæ Australiæ . [8] [9] [10] [11] In 2012 the new genus Benstonia was erected by Martin Callmander and Sven Buerki and 50 species (including this one) were transferred to it from Pandanus. [12]
The species epithet monticola is derived from the Latin words mons (mountain) and -cola (inhabitor), meaning "mountain dweller".
The common name "scrub breadfruit" is a reference to the superficial similarity of the fruit to the more well-known breadfruit.
The scrub breadfruit naturally occurs from the area of Cedar Bay (now part of Ngalba Bulal National Park), southward along the coast as far as Hinchinbrook Island, and inland to the Atherton Tablelands. It favours rainforest habitats and is found from sea level to around 800 m (2,600 ft). [5] [6] [7]
Benstonea monticola, along with Pandanus tectorius and Pandanus solms-laubachii , is a host plant for the peppermint stick insect (Megacrania batesii), which shelters in the central hollow of the leaves and feeds on them. [13] The fruits are eaten by cassowaries (Casuarius casuarius) and giant white-tailed rats (Uromys caudimaculatus). [7]
This species is listed by the Queensland Department of Environment and Science as least concern. [1] As of April 2023 [update] , it has not been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Floydia is a monotypic genus of plants in the macadamia family Proteaceae which is endemic to Australia. The sole described species is Floydia praealta, commonly known as the ball nut. It is a somewhat rare tree found only growing in the rainforests of southeastern Queensland and northeastern New South Wales. The tree has a superficial resemblance to the closely related Macadamia and could be confused with them. The fruit of F. praealta is poisonous.
Zygochloa is a genus of desert plants in the grass family known only from Australia. The only known species is Zygochloa paradoxa, commonly known as sandhill canegrass. It occurs in extremely arid areas such as the Simpson Desert.
Hymenosporum is a monotypic genus of trees in the family Pittosporaceae. The sole included species is Hymenosporum flavum, commonly known as native frangipani, found in the rainforests and wet sclerophyll forests of New Guinea, Queensland and New South Wales. Despite its common name, it is not closely related to the frangipani, but is related to the widespread genus Pittosporum.
Woollsia is a monotypic genus in the family Ericaceae. The sole species, Woollsia pungens, known as snow heath, is a small shrub found in eastern Australia, from Pigeon House Mountain in southern New South Wales north into Queensland.
Cardwellia is a monotypic genus in the plant family Proteaceae. The sole described species is Cardwellia sublimis − commonly known as northern silky oak, bull oak or lacewood − which is endemic to the rainforests of northeastern Queensland, Australia.
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.
Acanthocladium dockeri is a critically endangered species of the family Asteraceae that belongs to the monotypic genus Acanthocladium. It is commonly known as spiny everlasting or spiny daisy. It is native to Australia, and is found around the South Australian town of Laura.
Leionema elatius, commonly known as tall phebalium, is a shrub species that is endemic to New South Wales and Queensland in Australia. It has glossy green, variably-shaped leaves and clusters of white-lemon flowers in spring.
Osbornia is a monotypic genus of mangrove in the myrtle family Myrtaceae. The sole species is Osbornia octodonta, commonly known as the myrtle mangrove, which inhabits coastal areas of Borneo, the Philippines, the Lesser Sunda Islands. the Northern Territory, Queensland, and northern Western Australia. It was first described in 1862 by Ferdinand von Mueller, based on material collected in Trinity Bay. who published the description in his tome Fragmenta Phytographiæ Australiæ. It is usually found on the landward side of mangrove forests.
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.
Benstonea is a genus of flowering plants in the family Pandanaceae. It was formerly known as Acrostigma, a subgenus of Pandanus, but in 2012 was recognized as a distinct genus based on morphology and DNA sequencing. Benstonea is distributed from India to Fiji with centres of diversity in Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia and New Guinea.
Lechenaultia divaricata, commonly known as tangled leschenaultia, wirenetting bush or wirebush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Goodeniaceae and is endemic to arid and semi-arid areas of central Australia.
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.
Olearia ferresii is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to central Australia. It is an erect, aromatic shrub with elliptic to lance-shaped leaves and white and yellow, daisy-like inflorescences.
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.
Pandanus grayorum is a plant in the family Pandanaceae which is endemic to a very small area of northeast Queensland. It is closely related to both Pandanus gemmifer and Pandanus solms-laubachii, and it coexists with the latter.
Pandanus solms-laubachii, commonly known as the swamp pandan, is a small tree in the family Pandanaceae which occurs in northeastern Queensland and possibly in Papua New Guinea. It is closely related to both Pandanus gemmifer and Pandanus grayorum.
Solanum nemophilum, is a flowering plant in the family Solanaceae and grows in New South Wales and Queensland. It has purple flowers and is densely covered with star-shaped hairs.
Benstonea lauterbachii, commonly known as Lauterbach's pandan, is a shrub or small tree to 15 m (49 ft) in the family Pandanaceae endemic to Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, Australia. It was first described as Pandanus lauterbachii in 1900, but was revised in 2012 by Martin Callmander and Sven Buerki who placed it in the newly created genus Benstonea. In Australia it is found from the tip of Cape York to Iron Range, with an isolated occurrence at the Hull River near Tully.
Diploglottis diphyllostegia, commonly known as the northern tamarind, native tamarind or wild tamarind, is a tree in the lychee family Sapindaceae which is endemic to Queensland, Australia. It is an attractive tree with potential in cultivation, with a dense crown of dark green leaves and masses of fruit in spring and summer.
Data related to Benstonea monticola at Wikispecies
Media related to Benstonea monticola at Wikimedia Commons