Geijera parviflora

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Wilga
Geijera parviflora 4.jpg
Cultivated specimen, Springs Preserve
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Rutaceae
Genus: Geijera
Species:
G. parviflora
Binomial name
Geijera parviflora
Synonyms [1]
  • Geijera parvifloraLindl. var. parviflora
  • Geijera pendulaLindl.

Geijera parviflora, commonly known as wilga, [2] is a species of shrub or small tree in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to inland parts of eastern Australia. It has drooping branches, linear to narrow lance-shaped leaves, small white flowers in loose panicles and spherical fruit containing a shiny black seed. Other vernacular names include Australian willow, native willow, sheepbush and dogwood. [3]

Contents

Description

Geijera parviflora is a shrub or tree that typically grows to a height of 8–10 m (26–33 ft) and has drooping branches and leaves often reaching ground level, but these are often grazed by sheep. The leaves are glossy dark green, linear to lance-shaped, 35–180 mm (1.4–7.1 in) long and 4–10 mm (0.16–0.39 in) wide on a petiole 3–12 mm (0.12–0.47 in) long. The leaves give off a strong smell when crushed. The flowers are arranged in loose panicles 40–70 mm (1.6–2.8 in) long, each flower on a pedicel about 1 mm (0.039 in) long. The sepals are 0.8–1 mm (0.031–0.039 in) long, the petals white and 1.5–2.5 mm (0.059–0.098 in) long. The smell of the flowers has been described as foetid, but also as citrus-scented and attracts insects. Flowering occurs from June to November and the fruit is more or less spherical, 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) in diameter, each containing a single shiny black seed. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

Taxonomy

Geijera parviflora was first formally described in 1848 by English botanist John Lindley in Thomas Mitchell's Journal of an Expedition into the Interior of Tropical Australia. [8] The specific epithet parviflora is from the Latin, meaning "small flowers".

Distribution and habitat

Wilga prefers calcareous soils, either red clays or sandy soils, and grows as scattered trees in open woodland or occasionally in stands. [3] It is mainly found in inland New South Wales and Queensland, extending into south-eastern South Australia and is rare in Victoria where it is only known from the north-west of the state, near Kenley. [2] [6] [7]

Uses

Wilga is a useful shade and fodder tree in agricultural areas. Sheep particularly enjoy grazing on the lower branches, although trees appear to vary greatly in palatability (some are eagerly sought after and others ignored). The reason for this variation is unknown, and soil composition is speculated as a cause. [3] Despite being slow growing, it is planted in Australia and overseas as an ornamental. It prefers full sunshine, and can tolerate the occasional light frost and drought. Indigenous Australians chewed the aromatic leaves for alleviating toothache. [5] Regeneration from fresh seed and cuttings has proven to be difficult. It is suggested that the hard seed coat should be cracked, to assist seed germination. [9]

Related Research Articles

<i>Geijera</i> Genus of flowering plants

Geijera is a genus of shrubs and trees in the family Rutaceae and are native to New Guinea, Australia and New Caledonia. They have simple leaves arranged alternately, panicles of bisexual flowers usually with five, sometimes four, sepals, petals and stamens and fruit containing shiny black seeds.

<i>Syzygium luehmannii</i> Species of tree

Syzygium luehmannii is a medium-sized coastal rainforest tree native to Australia. Common names include riberry, small leaved lilly pilly, cherry satinash, cherry alder, or clove lilli pilli.

<i>Geijera salicifolia</i> Species of flowering plant

Geijera salicifolia, commonly known as glasswood, green satinheart or scrub wilga, is a species of shrub or tree in the family Rutaceae and is native to Australia, New Guinea and New Caledonia. It has narrow elliptic to egg-shaped leaves, small white flowers in loose groups and oval to more or less spherical fruit, each containing a shiny black seed.

<i>Zanthoxylum brachyacanthum</i> Species of tree

Zanthoxylum brachyacanthum, known as thorny yellow-wood, satinwood, satin tree or scrub mulga, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to north-eastern Australia. It is a rainforest shrub or tree with thick, cone-shaped spines on the trunk and prickles on the branches, pinnate leaves, and male and female flowers arranged in panicles.

<i>Syzygium ingens</i> Species of tree

Syzygium ingens, commonly known as red apple, is a species of flowering plant that is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a medium-sized to tall rainforest tree with narrow elliptic to oblong leaves and panicles of white flowers on the ends of branchlets, followed by spherical red berries.

<i>Syzygium hemilamprum</i> Species of tree

Syzygium hemilamprum, commonly known as the broad-leaved lilly pilly, blush satinash, cassowary gum, Eungella gum, and treated as Acmena hemilampra in New South Wales and Queensland, is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is native to New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory. It is a rainforest tree with broadly lance-shaped to elliptic leaves, panicles of white flowers and more or less spherical white fruit.

<i>Flindersia collina</i> Species of tree

Flindersia collina, commonly known as broad-leaved leopard tree, leopard ash, bastard crow's ash or leatherwood, is a species of tree in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to north-eastern Australia. It usually has pinnate leaves with between three and seven elliptical to spatula-shaped leaves, panicles of white flowers and fruit studded with rough points.

<i>Acronychia suberosa</i> Species of tree

Acronychia suberosa, commonly known as corky acronychia, is a species of small to medium-sized rainforest tree that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has mostly trifoliate leaves with elliptic to egg-shaped leaflets with the narrower end towards the base, small groups of cream-coloured flowers and elliptical to spherical, creamy yellow to whitish fruit.

<i>Bosistoa floydii</i> Species of tree

Bosistoa floydii, commonly known as the five-leaf bosistoa or five-leaved bonewood, is a species of small rainforest tree that is endemic to north-eastern New South Wales. It has pinnate leaves usually with five elliptic leaflets, and panicles of tiny, creamy white flowers.

<i>Cassinia arcuata</i> Species of plant

Cassinia arcuata, commonly known as drooping cassinia, biddy bush, Chinese scrub, sifton bush and Chinese shrub, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a shrub, sometimes a small tree with sessile, linear leaves, and heads of up to two hundred brownish flowers arranged in pyramid-shaped panicles. In New South Wales, the species is known as Cassinia sifton. In disturbed areas, C. arcuata can become weedy.

<i>Casuarina cristata</i> Species of tree

Casuarina cristata, commonly known as belah or muurrgu, is a species of flowering plant in the family Casuarinaceae and is endemic to inland eastern Australia. It is a tree with fissured or scaly bark, sometimes drooping branchlets, the leaves reduced to scales in whorls of 8 to 12, the fruit 13–18 mm (0.51–0.71 in) long containing winged seeds (samaras) 6.0–10.5 mm (0.24–0.41 in) long.

<i>Goodenia paniculata</i> Species of flowering plant

Goodenia paniculata, commonly known as branched goodenia, is a species of plant in the family Goodeniaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a short-lived herb with egg-shaped to lance-shaped leaves with toothed edges and racemes of yellow flowers.

<i>Melicope polybotrya</i> Species of shrub

Melicope polybotrya is a species of shrub or small tree in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to Lord Howe Island. It has trifoliate leaves and green flowers borne in short panicles in leaf axils.

<i>Neoastelia</i> Genus of flowering plants

Neoastelia is a genus of plants in the family Asteliaceae containing the single species Neoastelia spectabilis, commonly known as the silver sword lily, that is endemic to a small area on the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales. It is a species of herb with long, linear leaves and large groups of whitish flowers, followed by spherical, pale green berries.

<i>Halfordia</i> Genus of trees

Halfordia is a genus of plants in the family Rutaceae containing the single species Halfordia kendack commonly known as kerosenewood, southern ghittoe or saffronheart, is a rainforest plant that is native to eastern Australia, New Guinea and New Caledonia. It is a shrub or tree with elliptical to egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, panicles of white, greenish white or yellowish flowers and purple to bluish black, spherical to oval fruit.

<i>Acronychia parviflora</i> Species of flowering plant

Acronychia parviflora is a species of shrub or small rainforest tree that is endemic to north-eastern Queensland. It has simple, egg-shaped to elliptical leaves, flowers arranged singly or in small groups in leaf axils and fleshy, more or less spherical fruit.

<i>Coatesia</i> Genus of flowering plants

Coatesia is a genus of plant containing the single species Coatesia paniculata, commonly known as axe-breaker or capivi, and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a small, evergreen tree with simple, elliptical to egg-shaped leaves, panicles of white flowers on the ends of branchlets or in leaf axils and fused follicles with one black seed in each follicle.

<i>Dinosperma</i> Genus of flowering plants

Dinosperma is a genus of plant containing the single species Dinosperma erythrococcum, commonly known as tingletongue, clubwood or nutmeg, and is endemic to north-eastern Australia. It is a tree usually with trifoliate leaves arranged in opposite pairs, the leaflets lance-shaped to oblong, and panicles of small white flowers, later bright orange to red, slightly fleshy follicles containing shiny, bluish black seeds.

<i>Geijera linearifolia</i> Species of flowering plant

Geijera linearifolia, commonly known as oilbush or sheepbush, is a species of shrub in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to southern Australia. It has simple linear to oblong leaves, much-branched cymes of greenish-white flowers, and fruit containing a shiny black seed.

Melicope hayesii, commonly known as small-leaved doughwood, is a species of shrub or slender tree in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It has trifoliate leaves and small white flowers borne in panicles in leaf axils.

References

  1. 1 2 "Geijera parviflora". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 Porteners, Marianne F. "Geijera parviflora". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Cunningham, Geoff M.; Mulham, William E.; Milthorpe, Peter L.; Leigh, John H. (1981). Plants of Western New South Wales. Sydney, New South Wales: NSW Government Printing Service. pp. 447–48. ISBN   0-7240-2003-9.
  4. ↑ "Geijera parviflora". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  5. 1 2 Greig, Denise (1998). A Photographic Guide to Trees in Australia. p. 102. ISBN   1-86436-326-6.
  6. 1 2 Duretto, Marco F. "Geihera parviflora". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  7. 1 2 "Geijera parviflora". State Herbarium of South Australia. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  8. ↑ "Geijera parviflora". APNI. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  9. ↑ Growing Australian Native Plants From Seed by Murray Ralph, ISBN   978-0-646-42866-6
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