Billardiera fusiformis

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Billardiera fusiformis
Billardiera fusiformis - Flickr - Kevin Thiele (1).jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Apiales
Family: Pittosporaceae
Genus: Billardiera
Species:
B. fusiformis
Binomial name
Billardiera fusiformis
BillardierafusiformisDistributionMap8.png
Occurrence data from AVH
Synonyms [1]
List
    • Billardiera elongata Schnizl.
    • Billardiera hambruchiana Seem. & J.A.Schmidt
    • Billardiera salicifolia A.Cels
    • Labillardiera fusiformis(Labill.) Schult.
    •  ? Pronaya lanceolata Turcz.
    •  ? Sollya fusiformis Payer nom. inval., nom. subnud.
    • Sollya fusiformis(Labill.) Briq.
    • Sollya fusiformis(Labill.) Ostenf. nom. illeg., nom. superfl.
    • Sollya heterophylla var. angustifolia Benth. p.p.
    • Sollya heterophylla var. linearis Otto
    • Sollya heterophylla var. linearis(Lindl.) Pax nom. illeg., nom. superfl.
    • Sollya heterophylla var. salicifolia(F.Cels) Ser.
    • Sollya linearisLindl.
    • Sollya salicifolia Marnock
Flower detail Billardiera fusiformis - Flickr - Kevin Thiele.jpg
Flower detail
Fruit Billardiera fusiformis fruit.jpg
Fruit

Billardiera fusiformis, commonly known as Australian bluebell, [2] is a species of flowering plant in the family Pittosporaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a sturdy, shrubby climber that has linear to narrowly elliptic leaves and blue, white or pink, nodding flowers arranged singly or in groups of up to four.

Contents

Description

Billardiera fusiformis is a sturdy, shrubby climber, its new stems greenish and shaggy hairy, later reddish-brown. Its adult leaves are linear to narrowly elliptic, 25–50 mm (0.98–1.97 in) long, 2–6 mm (0.079–0.236 in) wide and sessile. Both surfaces of the leaves are softly-hairy, but become glabrous with age. The flowers are arranged singly or in groups of up to four on a rachis 10–15 mm (0.39–0.59 in) long, each flower on a nodding pedicel 6–10 mm (0.24–0.39 in) long. The sepals are silky hairy, 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) long and fall off as the flower develops. The petals are blue, white or pink, 5–11 mm (0.20–0.43 in) long, about 3 mm (0.12 in) wide and free from each other. Flowering occurs in late spring and summer, and the mature fruit is a green, spindle-shaped berry 20–25 mm (0.79–0.98 in) long that turns purplish as it ages. [3] [4]

Billardiera fusiformis can be distinguished from others in the genus by its narrowly elliptic, almost sessile leaves, its deep blue, white or pink petals that are free from each other and the anthers that are nearly twice as long as their filaments and are fused to each other at first, later free. [3] [4]

Taxonomy

Billardiera fusiformis was first described in 1805 by Jacques Labillardière in his Novae Hollandiae Plantarum Specimen from specimens collected in "Van Diemen's Land". [5] [6] Labillardière's type specimen has not been found, but his type location is a mistake and the lectotype has been designated as the illustration in Novae Hollandiae Plantarum Specimen. [3] [7] [8] The specific epithet (fusiformis) means shaped like a spindle, that is, swollen in the middle and tapering at each end, and refers to the shape of the fruits. [9]

Distribution and habitat

Australian bluebell was originally endemic to the south-west of Western Australia where it grew in coastal and mallee heath in the Avon Wheatbelt, Coolgardie, Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest, Mallee, Swan Coastal Plain and Warren bioregions. [2] Horticultural use in other states, espcially of the white and pink forms of the species, has allowed the species to be naturalised in other states, but the species does not appear to be as weedy as the similar B. heterophylla . [3]

Weed status

The species has been cultivated as a garden plant, and has now become a significant weed in Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, New South Wales and the ACT. [4] It invades woodlands, forests, shrublands, and grasslands, smothering ground flora and small shrubs, with large numbers of seedlings emerging in already infested areas, following fires. [4] The seed is also spread by small native mammals (potoroos, quokkas, bush rats) eating the fruits, with the seed becoming more viable after ingestion. [10]

Related Research Articles

<i>Billardiera</i> Genus of plants

Billardiera, commonly known as appleberries, snot berries, or bluebell creepers, is a genus of flowering plants in the family, Pittosporaceae and is endemic to Australia. Plants in the genus Billardiera are woody scramblers, climbers or twiners with elliptic, lance-shaped or linear leaves arranged alternately along the stems, the flowers with petals that are joined to form a tube at the base with spreading lobes, and succulent or fleshy fruit.

<i>Spyridium globulosum</i> Species of shrub

Spyridium globulosum, commonly known as basket bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rhamnaceae and is endemic to coastal areas in the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with relatively large leaves and heads of flowers covered with whitish hairs.

<i>Billardiera longiflora</i> Species of flowering plant

Billardiera longiflora is a species of flowering plant in the family Pittosporaceae and is endemic to Tasmania. It is a woody twiner or climber that has variably-shaped, often elliptic leaves, often varying with altitude, and greenish-yellow, pendent, tube-shaped flowers arranged singly and turning blue as they age. This species is often confused with the similar Billardiera macrantha of south-eastern Australia, including Tasmania.

<i>Pimelea ferruginea</i> Species of shrub

Pimelea ferruginea, commonly known as pink rice flower or coastal banjine, is a species of flowering plant in the family Thymelaeaceae and is endemic to near-coastal areas of south-western Western Australia. It is a dense, erect shrub with elliptic to narrowly elliptic leaves and head-like clusters of pale to deep pink, tube-shaped flowers.

<i>Platysace lanceolata</i> Species of shrub

Platysace lanceolata, commonly known as shrubby platysace, is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is small, upright shrub with variable shaped leaves and white flowers.

<i>Pomaderris elliptica</i> Species of shrub

Pomaderris elliptica, commonly known as yellow dogwood or smooth pomaderris, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rhamnaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a shrub with densely hairy branchlets, egg-shaped or elliptic leaves, and pale yellow flowerss.

<i>Pimelea ligustrina</i> Species of plant

Pimelea ligustrina is a species of flowering plant in the family Thymelaeaceae, and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a shrub with lance-shaped or narrowly elliptic leaves arranged in opposite pairs, and clusters of creamy-white, white or pinkish flowers usually surrounded by 4 or 8, greenish to reddish brown involucral bracts.

<i>Eucalyptus incrassata</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus incrassata, commonly known as the lerp mallee, yellow mallee, ridge fruited mallee or rib fruited mallee, is a species of mallee that is endemic to southern Australia. It has smooth bark, sometimes with rough, ribbony bark near the base, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, creamy white, pale yellow, sometimes pink or red flowers, and cylindrical, barrel-shaped or bell-shaped fruit.

<i>Pimelea drupacea</i> Species of shrub

Pimelea drupacea, commonly known as cherry rice-flower, is a species of flowering plant in the family Thymelaeaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a shrub with elliptic leaves arranged in opposite pairs, and head-like clusters of white, tube-shaped flowers surrounded by two or four leaves.

<i>Pimelea imbricata</i> Species of shrub

Pimelea imbricata is a species of flowering plant in the family Thymelaeaceae and is native to the southwest of Western Australia and south-eastern South Australia. It is a shrub with narrowly elliptic leaves and erect, compact clusters of white or pink flowers surrounded by 10 to 22 green or red to purple involucral bracts.

<i>Pimelea nivea</i> Species of shrub

Pimelea nivea is a species of flowering plant in the family Thymelaeaceae and is endemic to Tasmania. It is an erect shrub with densely hairy young stems, elliptic to round leaves arranged in opposite pairs, and compact clusters of white or cream-coloured flowers.

<i>Epacris lanuginosa</i> Species of flowering plant

Epacris lanuginosa, commonly known as woolly-style heath, is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a slender, erect shrub with hairy branchlets, linear to lance-shaped leaves, and tube-shaped, white flowers crowded along the ends of the branches.

<i>Billardiera fraseri</i> Species of flowering plant

Billardiera fraseri, commonly known as elegant pronaya, is a species of flowering plant in the family Pittosporaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a climber with densely silky-hairy new shoots, leaves and flowers, narrowly elliptic leaves and deep purple or pink flowers arranged in groups.

<i>Leucopogon obovatus</i> Species of plant

Leucopogon obovatus is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with hairy young branchlets, variably-shaped, simple leaves, and erect clusters of 3 to 15 white, bell-shaped flowers on the ends of branches and in upper leaf axils.

<i>Gompholobium tomentosum</i> Species of legume

Gompholobium tomentosum, commonly known as hairy yellow pea, is a species of flowering plant in the pea family Fabaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with hairy foliage, pinnate leaves with five to seven leaflets, and uniformly yellow, pea-like flowers.

<i>Leucopogon collinus</i> Species of plant

Leucopogon collinus, commonly known as fringed beard-heath, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a slender, erect or spreading shrub with narrowly lance-shaped leaves, and white, tube-shaped, bearded flowers.

Pimelea clavata is a species of flowering plant in the family Thymelaeaceae and is endemic to near-coastal areas and offshore islands of southern Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with narrowly elliptic to more or less linear leaves arranged in opposite pairs, and head-like clusters of white to pale yellow, tube-shaped flowers surrounded by leaf-like involucral bracts.

<i>Olearia viscosa</i> Species of plant

Olearia teretifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a bushy shrub with lance-shaped, egg-shaped or elliptic leaves arranged in opposite pairs, and white and yellow, daisy-like inflorescences.

<i>Billardiera speciosa</i> Species of plant

Billardiera speciosa is a species of flowering plant in the family Pittosporaceae and is endemic to southern Western Australia. It is a slender climber that grows in coastal heath and has narrowly elliptic leaves with the edges rolled under and groups of purple or mauve flowers.

<i>Billardiera uniflora</i> Species of shrub endemic to South Australia

Billardiera uniflora is a species of flowering plant in the family Pittosporaceae and is endemic to part of the south-east of South Australia. It is a glabrous, woody climber with narrowly elliptic leaves and pendent yellow flowers arranged singly or in pairs.

References

  1. 1 2 "Billardiera fusiformis". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  2. 1 2 "FloraBase Billardiera fusiformis". Western Australian Herbarium, Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Billardiera fusiformis". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Billardiera fusiformis". Weeds of Australia Biosecurity Queensland Edition. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  5. ↑ "Billardiera fusiformis". APNI. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  6. ↑ Labillardière, Jacques (1805). Novae Hollandiae Plantarum Specimen. Paris. p. 65. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  7. ↑ Labillardière, Jacques (1805). Novae Hollandiae Plantarum Specimen. Paris. p. 90. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  8. ↑ Cayzer, L, Crisp, M, Telford, I (2004) Cladistic analysis and revision of Billardiera (Pittosporaceae). Australian Systematic Botany 17, 83-125.
  9. ↑ Eckel, P.M. (2010-2018) "A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin: fusiformis,-e". Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  10. ↑ Cochrane, J.A., Friend, J.A., Hill, S.J.E. (2005) Endozoochory and the Australian bluebell: comsumption of Billardiera fusiformis (Labill.) Payer (Pittosporaceae) seeds by three mammal species at Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, Western Australia. Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia 88, 191-196.
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