| China grass | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Foliage, flowers and fruit | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Urticaceae |
| Genus: | Debregeasia |
| Species: | D. australis |
| Binomial name | |
| Debregeasia australis | |
Debregeasia australis, commonly known as china grass or native ramie, is a plant in the nettle family Urticaceae endemic to Queensland, Australia.
Debregeasia australis is a shrub or small tree growing to about 5 m (16 ft) tall, but will flower and fruit at about 2 m (6 ft 7 in). The leaves are broadly ovate, up to 17 cm (6.7 in) long and 14 cm (5.5 in) wide, green above and bright white underneath, and the margins (edges) are toothed. They have 3–4 pairs of lateral veins, the first pair of which depart from the midrib at the very base of the leaf blade and extend about 2/3 of the way to the apex. The petiole measures up to 9 cm (3.5 in) long, and the stipules up to 8 mm (0.31 in) long. [4] [5]
The inflorescences occur in the leaf axils and consist of clusters of very small flowers - male flowers are about 1 mm (0.04 in) long while female flowers are about 0.5 mm (0.02 in) long. The fruit is an achene about 0.7 mm (0.03 in) long. [4] [5]
This species was first described by the botanists Ib Friis, Christine Melanie Wilmot-Dear and Chia Jui Chen, and published in the Edinburgh Journal of Botany in 2012. [6] Prior to this, the Queensland plants had been misidentified as Boehmeria nivea . [5]
This species is endemic to Queensland, from the Mackay area north to about Cape Tribulation. [7] It occurs mostly on the sub-coastal tablelands at 400–1,000 m (1,300–3,300 ft), occasionally reaching the coastal lowlands, and it grows on rainforest margins and beside streams in very wet areas. [4] [5]
This species is listed by the Queensland Government's Department of Environment, Science and Innovation as least concern. [1] As of 8 April 2024 [update] , it has not been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
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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.
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Pouzolzia australis, synonyms including Boehmeria australis and Boehmeria calophleba, is a species of large shrub or small tree in the plant family Urticaceae. It is endemic to small islands belonging to Australia and New Zealand – Norfolk Island, Lord Howe Island, and the Kermadec Islands. The population on Norfolk island, sometimes treated as a distinct subspecies, is critically endangered. In the Kermadec Islands, it was described in 2018 as "threatened – nationally endangered".
Buckinghamia celsissima, commonly known as the ivory curl tree, ivory curl flower or spotted silky oak, is a species of tree in the family Proteaceae. It is endemic to the tropical rainforests of northeastern Queensland, Australia.
Debregeasia is a genus of plants in the nettle family Urticaceae native to areas from northern Africa to China, Southeast Asia and Australia.
Melicope rubra, commonly known as the little evodia, is a species of small tree in the citrus family Rutaceae, native to New Guinea and northeast Queensland. It was originally described as Euodia rubra in 1900. It has trifoliate leaves and pink bisexual flowers arranged on branches below the leaves.
Neostrearia is a monotypic genus - i.e. a genus containing only one species - of plants in the witch-hazel family Hamamelidaceae. It is the second described of three monotypic Australian genera in this family, the others being Ostrearia and Noahdendron. It is most closely related to these genera, as well as Trichocladus from southern Africa and Dicoryphe from Madagascar, and together these five genera form a distinct clade within Hamamelidaceae.
Dendrocnide cordifolia, commonly known as the stinging tree, is a plant in the nettle family Urticaceae endemic to the Atherton Tablelands, south west of Cairns, Queensland. Contact with the plant results in a painful sting, however the intensity and duration of the pain from this plant is extreme.
Mackinlaya macrosciadea, commonly known as mackinlaya or blue umbrella, is a plant in the carrot, fennel and parsley family Apiaceae, found in the Northern Territory and Queensland, Australia.
Diploglottis harpullioides, commonly known as Babinda tamarind, is a rainforest tree in the lychee and maple family Sapindaceae which is found only in northeast Queensland, Australia.
Piper interruptum is a vine in the pepper family Piperaceae, native to the eastern parts of Southeast Asia and to Melanesia and Queensland.
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.
Fagraea fagraeacea, commonly known as yellowheart or pink jitta, is a plant in the gentian family Gentianaceae which is native to New Guinea and Queensland.
Tetracera daemeliana, commonly known as large-leaved fire vine, is a vine in the guinea flower family Dilleniaceae first described in 1886, which is endemic to the northern half of Queensland, Australia. The flowers are pleasantly perfumed.
Cupaniopsis flagelliformis, commonly known as brown tuckeroo or weeping flower tamarind, is a tree in the lychee, guaraná and maple family Sapindaceae which is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a small tree that inhabits drier or seasonal rainforests.
Gillbeea adenopetala, commonly known as Pink alder, is an evergreen tree in the largely southern hemisphere family Cunoniaceae. It was first described in 1865 and is endemic to a small part of Queensland, Australia.
Diploglottis bernieana, commonly known as Bernie's tamarind or large leaf tamarind, is a plant in the maple and lychee family Sapindaceae. It was first described in 1987 by the Australian botanist Sally T. Reynolds and is found only the Wet Tropics region of northeastern Queensland, Australia.
Actephila foetida is a plant in the family Phyllanthaceae that is found only in a very restricted range within the Wet Tropics bioregion of Queensland, Australia. It was first described in 1927.
