| Small bolwarra | |
|---|---|
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| At Cairns Botanic Gardens | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Magnoliids |
| Order: | Magnoliales |
| Family: | Eupomatiaceae |
| Genus: | Eupomatia |
| Species: | E. barbata |
| Binomial name | |
| Eupomatia barbata | |
Eupomatia barbata, also known as the small bolwarra, is a species of plant in the primitive family Eupomatiaceae. It is endemic to Queensland, Australia, and was first described in 2002.
Eupomatia barbata is a bushy compact shrub growing to about 1 m (3 ft 3 in) tall. The leaves are arranged alternately on the twigs, and the twigs form a zig-zag pattern from one leaf to the next. The petioles (leaf stalks) are 4 to 6 mm (0.16 to 0.24 in) long with narrow wings that extend along the twigs to the next-lower leaf. The leaf blades are glabrous , up to 20 cm (7.9 in) long by 6 cm (2.4 in) wide, and oblanceolate in shape with a drip tip . They have 16–22 pairs of lateral veins that form distinct loops inside the margin of the leaf. [4] [5] [6] [7]
The flowers are solitary and terminal, and petals and sepals are absent. The developing bud is protected by a green cap (known as an operculum) which splits and detaches when the flower reaches maturity. What appears to me a mass of white petals is numerous staminodes and stamens arranged in several whorls. In the centre of the flower numerous carpels are fused together forming a more-or-less flat disk. The fruit is a botanical berry containing numerous brown or black seeds about 4 mm (0.16 in) long. [4] [5] [6] [7]
This plant had been collected as far back as 1948, but it wasn't until 2002 that it was formally described and named. The Australian botanist Laurence W. Jessup published his description in the journal of the Queensland Herbarium Austrobaileya . [4]
The genus name Eupomatiaceae comes from the Ancient Greek eu, well or good, and poma, lid or cover. It is a reference to the operculum on the flower buds. [6] The species epithet barbata comes from the Latin word barba, beard, and refers to the fringed margin of the stamens and staminodes. [4]
The small bolwarra inhabits well developed rainforests of coastal and sub-coastal Queensland, from the Cooktown area to just north of Ingham. The altitudinal range is from sea level to about 1,100 m (3,600 ft). [5] [6] [7] [8]
As of September 2024 [update] , this species is considered to be of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and by the Queensland Government under its Nature Conservation Act. [1] [9]
Flowers of this species (and of the other two species of Eupomatia) are pollinated by weevils of the genus Elleschodes , and the weevils have only ever been observed on Eupomatia flowers. Additionally, no other pollinaters have ever been observed on Eupomatia flowers. [10] : 489
Idiospermum is a monotypic genus in the family Calycanthaceae. The sole included species is Idiospermum australiense − commonly known as idiotfruit, ribbonwood, or dinosaur tree − which is found only in two small areas of the tropical rainforests of northeastern Queensland, Australia. It is a relic of the ancient forests of Gondwana, surviving in very localised refugia for 120 million years, and displaying features that are almost identical to fossil records from that time. As such it provides an important insight into the very early evolution of flowering plants.
Eupomatia is a genus of three species of plants in the ancient family Eupomatiaceae, and is the sole genus in the family. Eupomatiaceae is recognised by most taxonomists and classified in the plant order Magnoliales. The three described species are shrubs or small trees, native to the rainforests and humid eucalypt forests of eastern Australia and New Guinea. The type species Eupomatia laurina was described in 1814 by Robert Brown.
Eupomatia laurina, commonly named bolwarra, native guava or copper laurel, is a species of plant in the primitive flowering-plant family Eupomatiaceae endemic to Australia and New Guinea.
Eupomatia bennettii, commonly named small bolwarra, is a species of shrubs of the Australian continent ancient plant family Eupomatiaceae, found in sub-tropical rainforest in eastern Australia. They grow naturally north from the Nambucca River and are sometimes found in moist gullies dominated by Eucalyptus trees.
Epicharis parasitica, commonly known as yellow mahogany, is a species of tree in the family Meliaceae; it grows primarily in tropical rainforests and is native to Taiwan, parts of Malesia, Papuasia, and northeast Queensland.
Syzygium canicortex, commonly known as yellow satinash, is a tree in the family Myrtaceae native to Queensland, Australia, first described in 1983.
Homoranthus decasetus is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to a small area in central Queensland. It has small, thin leaves and flowers that fade to purple as they age.
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.
Pseuduvaria froggattii is a rare species of tree which is restricted to a very small part of northeastern Queensland, Australia. It is a member of the custard apple and soursop family Annonaceae, and was first described in 1887. Despite the small range its status considered to be least concern.
Pseuduvaria glabrescens is a small tree in the custard apple family Annonaceae endemic to a very small part of coastal Queensland, Australia. It was first described as a variety of Pseuduvaria mulgraveana, and later raised to species status.
Pseuduvaria mulgraveana is a species of plant in the family Annonaceae endemic to Queensland, Australia. L.W. Jessup, the botanist who first formally described the species, named it after the Mulgrave River, where the specimen he examined was collected.
Argophyllum heterodontum is a plant in the Argophyllaceae family endemic to a small part of north eastern Queensland. It has an affinity to A. lejourdanii and was described and named in 2018.
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.
Meiogyne hirsuta is a plant in the custard apple family Annonaceae endemic to the Wet Tropics bioregion of Queensland, Australia. It is known from only a small number of collections from three widely separated locations.
Rubus queenslandicus, commonly known as bramble-of-the-cape, rose-leaf bramble, or native raspberry, is a plant in the rose family Rosaceae which is endemic to a small part of northeastern Queensland, Australia, where it is found on the margins of highland forest. Prior to 1997, collections of this plant were identified as either R. rosifolius, R. fraxinifolius or R. muelleri/R. probus.
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.
Xanthophyllum fragrans, commonly known as fragrant boxwood, is an evergreen plant in the family Polygalaceae found only in the Wet Tropics bioregion of Queensland, Australia.
Cupaniopsis foveolata, commonly known as narrow-leaved tuckeroo, white tamarind or toothed tuckeroo, is a plant in the maple and lychee family Sapindaceae found in eastern Queensland and New South Wales, Australia.
Larsenaikia ochreata, commonly known as Wenlock gardenia, scented Gardenia bush or wild Gardenia, is a plant in the coffee family Rubiaceae endemic to Queensland, Australia.
Syzygium alatoramulum, commonly known as tinkling satinash, is a plant in the clove and eucalyptus family Myrtaceae, found only in the Wet Tropics bioregion of Queensland, Australia.
