Hoya australis, commonly known as waxflower or common hoya,[2] is a species of flowering plant in the Apocynaceae or dogbane family and is native to northern and eastern Australia, Papuasia and Melanesia. It is a succulent vine or subshrub with fleshy or leathery, elliptic, oblong, egg-shaped or more or less round leaves, racemes of fleshy, cream-coloured and red flowers, and spindle-shaped follicles. It is a popular garden plant, noted for its fragrant flowers.
Hoya australis is a succulent climbing vine to subshrub that typically reaches a height of 4–10m (13–33ft). It has fleshy or leathery, elliptic, oblong, egg-shaped or more or less round leaves up to 150mm (5.9in) long and 120mm (4.7in) wide. Leaves growing in sunnier positions are a more yellowish green while those in shadier situations are dark green in colour. The flowers are arranged in racemes 10–25mm (0.39–0.98in) in diameter, each flower 3–5mm (0.12–0.20in) long on a pedicel20–40mm (0.79–1.57in) long. The flowers are fleshy, bell-shaped to wheel-shaped, cream-coloured with red under the corona, with egg-shaped lobes, 4–8mm (0.16–0.31in) long and 4–6mm (0.16–0.24in) wide. The flowers have a strong sweet scent and produce abundant nectar. The corona lobes are oval, cream-coloured, 1.2–3.5mm (0.047–0.138in) long and 1.0–2.5mm (0.039–0.098in) wide. Flowering time depends on subspecies, and the fruit is a spindle-shaped follicle 90–130mm (3.5–5.1in) long.[2][3]
Taxonomy
Hoya australis was first formally described in 1828 by James Traill from an unpublished description by Robert Brown.[4][5] The specific epithet (australis) is Latin for "southern".[6]
Hoya australisR.Br. ex J.Traill subsp. australis[9] is a twining plant has leaves that are fleshy or succulent, sparse or densely hairy and not curved under, and has extrafloral nectaries. It flowers from March to July.[8]
Hoya australisP.I.Forst. & Liddle subsp. oramicola[10] has leaves more than 50mm (2.0in) long, with obscure veins and the edges strongly rolled under. It flowers in July.[8]
Hoya australis(K.D.Hill) P.I.Forst. & Liddle subsp. rupicola[11] is similar to subsp. australis, but is an erect plant that does not twine, has leaves that are succulent and not curved under, and lacks extrafloral nectaries. It flowers from January to March.[8]
Hoya australis subsp. sanae(F.M.Bailey) K.D.Hill[12] previously known as Hoya sanaeF.M.Bailey[13] has leaves less than 50mm (2.0in) long, with prominent veins and the edges strongly rolled under. It flowers from May to June.[8]
Hoya australis subsp. tenuipes(K.D.Hill) P.I.Forst. & Liddle [14] is a twining plant has leaves that are leathery, glabrous or sparsely hairy and not curved under, and has extrafloral nectaries. In Australia, this subspecies mainly flowers in September and October.[8]
Distribution and habitat
This species of Hoya is endemic to Australia, and is found in Western Australia, the Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales.
Hoya australis is a popular garden and houseplant in Australia, where it flowers best in a well-lit position. It is often grown in containers and trained to grow on trellises on verandahs, fences and in glasshouses. It is a butterfly-attracting plant in the garden.[19] It can be grown indoors provided it receives direct sunlight.[21]
1 2 Forster, Paul I.; Liddle, David J. "Hoya australis". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
↑ Elliot, Rodger W.; Jones, David L.; Blake, Trevor (1990). Encyclopaedia of Australian Plants Suitable for Cultivation. Vol.5, Gr–J. Port Melbourne: Lothian Press. pp.386–387. ISBN0-85091-285-7.
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