Dansiea elliptica | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Myrtales |
Family: | Combretaceae |
Genus: | Dansiea |
Species: | D. elliptica |
Binomial name | |
Dansiea elliptica Byrnes | |
Dansiea elliptica is a species of rainforest tree which is endemic to Queensland, Australia. The species, which occurs within two highly disjunct centres of distribution, is primarily found in drier notophyll vine forests and semi evergreen vine thickets in the Wet Tropics of Queensland and Central Queensland. The species is listed as Near Threatened under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act (1992) and has a total area of occupancy of less than 40 square km. [1] [2]
One of only two species in its genus along with Dansiea grandiflora , Dansiea elliptica was first described by N.B. Byrnes in Austrobaileya Vol.1 on page 385 in 1981. [1] [2] The genus name honours Sam Dansie (1927–2012), an Australian forester and plant collector. [3] [4]
Dansiea elliptica grows up to 35 m tall. It features dark, greyish brown bark which is fissured and flaky and a trunk which reaches a diameter of up to 70 cm. The arrangement of the leaves is spiral and subopposite and their shape is elliptical with the apex apiculate and the base shortly attenuate. The blades of the leaves are green and glossy on top and dull and light green on the underside with the young leaves densely appressed and pubescent. The lamina is 3 to 8.5 cm long by 1 to 3.5 cm wide with the margins entire and glands located near the base. The petioles are 0.5 to 1 cm long with appressed hairs. The inflorescence is cream to pale green in colour, axillary and approximately 20 cm long on 1 cm long peduncles. The calyx has minute hairs and bracteoles which are 12 to 15 mm in diameter, orbicular and adnate to the lower tube. The flowers have 5 petals which are broadly elliptic in shape, 8 to 10 mm long with fine hairs. The calyx tube has 10 stamens inserted within in 2 series and there are small appendages at the base of the filaments inside the whorl. When mature the fruit have either two or four wings which are formed from two orbicular bracteoles underneath the flowers. When mature the wings are broad with a surface which is brown, dry and papery in texture. The ripe fruit is woody with yellow-green coloration. The flowers of Dansiea are similar to Macropteranthes on initial impression but are distinguished by being borne single in the axils and featuring an ovary which is fused to the floral tube only on one side. Dansiea elliptica has more ovules than any other species in the Combretaceae family. [1] [2] [4]
Dansiea elliptica occurs in lowland dry rainforests and vinethickets (notophyll vineforests, semi evergreen vinethickets) on soils derived from greywacke (in the southern populations) or rhyolite and basalt (northern populations). Species known to be associated with D. elliptica from a sample site in semi-evergreen vine thicket includes Flindersia australis and Casuarina cristata . In the Rundle Ranges, species such as Gossia bidwillii , Drypetes deplanchei , Planchonella cotinifolia , Pleiogynium timoriense and Terminalia porphyrocarpa occur in the same ecosystems as Dansiea elliptica. In notophyll-mesophyll rainforest in north east Queensland, associated species include a canopy of Polyscias elegans , Flindersia spp., Elaeocarpus eumundi , Synima , Cryptocarya mackinnoniana and Cryptocarya vulgaris growing on soils derived from rhyolite. [2]
Vinca major, with the common names bigleaf periwinkle, large periwinkle, greater periwinkle and blue periwinkle, is a species of flowering plant in the family Apocynaceae, native to the western Mediterranean. Growing to 25 cm (10 in) tall and spreading indefinitely, it is an evergreen perennial, frequently used in cultivation as groundcover.
Stachys byzantina, the lamb's-ear or woolly hedgenettle, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae, native to Armenia, Iran, and Turkey. It is cultivated over much of the temperate world as an ornamental plant, and is naturalised in some locations as an escapee from gardens. Plants are very often found under the synonym Stachys lanata or Stachys olympica.
Alloxylon flammeum, commonly known as the Queensland tree waratah or red silky oak, is a medium-sized tree of the family Proteaceae found in the Queensland tropical rain forests of northeastern Australia. It has shiny green elliptical leaves up to 18 cm (7.1 in) long, and prominent orange-red inflorescences that appear from August to October, followed by rectangular woody seed pods that ripen in February and March. Juvenile plants have large deeply lobed pinnate leaves. Previously known as Oreocallis wickhamii, the initial specimen turned out to be a different species to the one cultivated and hence a new scientific name was required. Described formally by Peter Weston and Mike Crisp in 1991, A. flammeum was designated the type species of the genus Alloxylon. This genus contains the four species previously classified in Oreocallis that are found in Australasia.
Epiphyllum pumilum is a cactus species native to Mexico and Guatemala. The species is commonly grown as an ornamental for its beautiful, fragrant flowers in the summer.
Grayia spinosa is a species of the genus Grayia in the subfamily Chenopodioideae of the flowering plant family Amaranthaceae, which is known by the common names hop sage and spiny hop sage. It is widely distributed across the Western United States, where it grows in a number of desert and mountain habitats.
Cryptocarya glaucescens, commonly known as jackwood, is a rainforest tree of the laurel family growing in eastern Australia.
Cryptocarya bidwillii, the yellow laurel, is a small to medium-sized tree in the laurel family. Occurring in Australian rainforests from Nymboida in the state of New South Wales to Townsville in tropical Queensland. Often found in the dryer ridges in dry rainforest or in viney scrubs.
Cryptocarya floydii is an Australian rainforest tree. It occurs in steep dry rocky gullies in northern New South Wales and adjacent areas in Queensland as far north as Bunya Mountains National Park. It grows as far south as the upper gullies of the Guy Fawkes River and the Macleay River. The common name is gorge laurel or Glenugie laurel, after the type locality of Glenugie Peak, near Grafton, New South Wales.
Flindersia xanthoxyla, commonly known as yellowwood, long jack or yellowwood ash, is a species of rainforest tree that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has pinnate leaves arranged in opposite pairs with seven to eleven leaflets, panicles of yellow flowers and woody fruit studded with rough points on the surface.
Pouteria eerwah is a rare species of Australian rainforest tree in the family Sapotaceae. Common names include shiny-leaved condoo, black plum and wild apple. It is endemic to south eastern Queensland, with a restricted distribution and regarded as endangered. There is discussion whether this plant should remain named as Planchonella eerwah.
Blepharocarya involucrigera is a tree in the sumac family Anacardiaceae. It is endemic to Queensland, Australia. Common names include north Queensland bollygum, northern bollygum and rose butternut.
Zieria vagans, commonly known as Gurgeena stink bush, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and endemic to a small area near Binjour in south-eastern Queensland. It is an open, straggly shrub with densely hairy branches, three-part leaves and groups of up to fifteen flowers with four creamy-white petals and four stamens.
Fontainea venosa, also commonly known as southern blushwood, veiny fontainea, Queensland fontainea and formerly named as Bahrs scrub fontainea is a rare rainforest shrub or tree of the family Euphorbiaceae. It is found in southeastern Queensland, Australia, extending from Boyne Valley to Cedar Creek and is considered vulnerable due to several contributing threats. The total population size is around 200 plants.
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.
Phebalium distans, commonly known as the Mt. Berryman phebalium, is a species of small tree that is endemic to south-east Queensland. It is more or less covered with silvery to rust-coloured scales and has warty branchlets, linear leaves and creamy yellow flowers in umbels on the ends of branchlets.
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.
Samuel Justin Dansie was an Australian forester and botanist who was an influential early figure associated with the emergence of a conservation ethos in the use and management of the Wet Tropical rainforests of Northern Queensland. During his 36 year tenure within the Queensland Forestry Department, Dansie was instrumental in identifying and securing the protection of a number of key conservation areas, both within and outside of state forests in the region.
Dansiea grandiflora is a species of rainforest tree that is endemic to Queensland, Australia. It is known to exist only within a limited zone of notophyll vine forest on Cape York Peninsula. It is listed as ‘Vulnerable’ under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act (1992).
Cryptocarya anamalayana is a rare rainforest tree endemic to the southern Western Ghats, India. The specific epithet of the name refers to the Anamalai Hills, a major area of its distribution. The species considered endangered under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Hovea similis is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and grows in New South Wales and Queensland. It is a shrub or small tree with hairy foliage and mauve and yellowish-green pea-like flowers.