Leucopogon parviflorus

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Leucopogon parviflorus
Leucopogon parviflorus 3.jpg
Leucopogon parviflorus at Point Lonsdale, Victoria.
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Unripe Leucopogon parviflorus fruit at Palm Beach, NSW.
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Ericaceae
Genus: Leucopogon
Species:
L. parviflorus
Binomial name
Leucopogon parviflorus
Leucopogon parviflorusDistMap.png
Occurrence data from AVH
Synonyms
  • Leucopogon richei (Labill.) R.Br.
  • Styphelia richeiLabill.
  • Styphelia parvifloraAndrews

Leucopogon parviflorus, commonly known as coast beard-heath or native currant, is a shrub or small tree in the family Ericaceae. [2] [3] It is native to all Australian states and territories excluding the Northern Territory and the ACT and also grows in New Zealand. [4] The species can grow to between 1 and 5 metres in height and has leaves that are 11 to 29 mm long and 2.4 to 7.5 mm in width, often with curved tips. The white flowers are around 15 mm long and are produced in spikes of 7 to 13. [3] These occur throughout the year. [3]

Contents

Leucopogon parviflorus can grow in many differing conditions, from sandy dunes to rocky cliff faces, in sheltered or exposed weather conditions. However, it does grow most efficiently in sandier areas, with sufficient shelter from the elements. [3] It is a significant food source to many Australian coastal birds and insects and relies on these animals for pollination and seed dispersion. [5] It is also commercially cultivated by landscapers and florists to be used in coastal gardens and floral arrangements. [6]

Taxonomy

The species was first formally described in 1803 by Henry Cranke Andrews in his work The Botanists Repository for New, and Rare plants 4 under the basionym Styphelia parviflora as it was at first believed to belong to the Styphelia genus. [7] It was then later reclassified in 1832 by John Lindley, under a new genus, and the accepted name of Leucopogon parviflorus in his book The Botanical Register: 18. [8]

Common names of Leucopogon parviflorus include "coastal bearded heath" and "coast beard-heath" among other variations.

Etymology

The name of the genus Leucopogon is derived from Greek language. Leuco means white and pogon means beard in Greek, referring to the white "beard" of flowers that a mature shrub has. [9] [5] The species name parviflorus is derived from Latin meaning "small flower" with parvus meaning small and florus meaning flower. [5]

Description

The size and appearance of the Leucopogon parviflorus ranges depending on the size and age of the plant. Its size can range from a medium sized shrub to a small tree, anywhere between 1 and 5 meters tall as a result of the age of the shrub and its exposure to the harsh weather conditions that occur on Australia's and New Zealand's coast lines. [5]

Smaller, finer branches found on the shrub are “soft and hairy”. [10] These small hairs allow the plant to be more drought tolerant as they prevent water loss. [11] The appearance of the bark and trunk of the plant changes with age, with the trunk becoming much thicker and the bark developing into a deep dark brown with fine grooves and cracks throughout the body of the trunk as the shrub ages. [12]

The leaves of Leucopogon parviflorus are stiff and smooth with leaves usually reaching lengths of 10-35mm. [4] They are flat or slightly curved and oblanceolate (longer than it is wider, with the widest part being near the tip) to elliptic (oval, broadest at the middle) in shape. [4] The leaves have smooth edges with faint veins that are more obviously visible when the leaf is dried. Leaf colour ranges from a pale yellow-green to a dark green on top with the bottom of the leaf always paler than the top. [4] Younger plant growth is often a bright green. [5]

It produces small, star-shaped white flowers that are furry on the inside. [4] They produce a powerful, but sweet fragrance. These flowers occur in thick "spikes", which are unbranched flower-heads with flowers attached to the stem. [13] at the end of the shrubs branches, or on the nodules between the stem and leaves that are usually 1-3cm long. [10] The flowers at first opening, anthesis, may appear pale white or pale pink, and with age will develop into the shrubs’ signature bright white bloom. [4] Bloom size ranges between 6 and 13mm in length. [14]

Leucopogon parviflorus is a fruit bearing shrub. It produces berries during the Southern Hemisphere’s summer months of November through January. [4] The fruits are spherical drupes, most commonly 3mm in diameter. [4] When immature they are solid in texture and green in colour. As the fruit ripens over the summer, they mature into a fleshy, bright white berry. [4] The "pip" of the fruit, which contains seeds, is orangey brown with a ridged surface. [14] [4]

Distribution and habitat

Leucopogon parviflorus is native to Australia and grows widely across the entire coasts of the states of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania. It also grows in the southern most parts of Queensland and Western Australia. [14] The shrub also grows on the coastal areas of the Chatham Islands in New Zealand. [4] It is wide growing in Australia.

The shrub thrives in sandy dunes and flats, rocky cliff faces and headlands, and among coastal scrub and does best in soils that are a neutral pH. [4] [15] Since the 1970s studies have shown the shrub growing less in cliff and plateau environments, with an increase of growth in coastal habitats. [15]

The ideal altitude for Leucopogon parviflorus is within 50 meters of sea level. The ideal rainfall for the shrub is 1200-1400mm per annum. It thrives best in dune scrub or low-open forests behind beaches, surrounded by other shrubs such as Acacia Sophorae . [3]

The shrub can grow in varying levels of exposure. It can grow in full sun exposure as well as in mid-shaded areas and is tolerant to strong coastal winds. [3]

Ecology

Leucopogon parviflorus is a perennial shrub that has multiple prolonged flowering sessions during the winter, spiring, and autumn months followed by a fruit bearing period in the summer. [5]

It is a slow germinating plant, on average taking 6-18 months from dispersal to begin germination. It is also a slow growing plant, taking at least 10 years to reach a notable size. The life span of L. parviflorus ranges from 20 to 100 years depending on growing conditions and environmental factors such as fire and drought. [3]

L. parviflorus relies on biotic pollination – pollination mediated by other animals. The main pollination vectors for the species are flying insects, notably honey bees and hover-flies. [16] The corolla tube has a wide opening that allows pollinators open access to the stigma and stamen of the flower for efficient pollination. [4] The fuzzy hairs on the flower petals also serve to aid in pollination as they are better able to catch pollen granules dispersed by the wind or pollinators. [11]

The berries of Leucopogon parviflorus Leucopogon parviflorus 90684450.jpg
The berries of Leucopogon parviflorus

Many parts of L. parviflorus are utilised by birds for either food or other uses. Smaller branches of the plant have been seen to be picked up by birds for nest construction. Rarely, birds are seen to feed off of parts of the plant other than the fruit. The only bird noted to feed off of the leaves, Australian native the crimson rosella, does so in the winter. Lewin's honeyeater is also noted to feed off of the nectar of L. parviflorus during the winter months. [17] These occurrences are thought to happen due to either the lack of invertebrate food resources available to birds during the cooler months and/or lower invertebrate activity allowing nectar to collect in flowers where it otherwise would not when there is increased insect activity during warmer months. [17] The bright white, sweet tasting berries of the L. parviflorus have been noted to supplement the diets of many coastal Australian birds, such as the yellow-faced honeyeater, the satin bowerbird, and the silver gull. [18] [19] These birds are vital aid in the continuation and dispersion of the species as they spread the seeds that are contained inside the berries by excreting them in their droppings along the coast. [5]

Whilst it is known that the shrub is native to Australia, it is debated whether L. parviflorus is native or naturalised to New Zealand. Whilst the New Zealand Plant Conservation Network state that the shrub is native, Agriculture Victoria on the other-hand state that it has been naturalised to New Zealand. [10] [4]

Threats

In New Zealand's Chatham Islands Leucopogon parviflorus is considered naturally uncommon. The more aggressive species of grass Ammophila arenari threatens the shrub in some areas of the island where the soil is particularly sandy. [4]

In Australia, an invasive species from South Africa, Chrysanthemoides monilifera , threatens the shrub. Chrysanthemoides monilifera competes aggressively with surrounding native species such as L. parviflorus and in some parts on NSW has completely eliminated them. [20]

The shrub tolerates drought very well, however it does not tolerate fire or other environmental impacts the same way. [5] While the species is a "fire re-sprouter" (a species that will re-grow after fire) it has been found that after the shrub is destroyed in a fire, the density in which L. parviflorus regrows is limited. It has been found that the species displays slower growth and development than other, similar species and no flowering is observed in the first seven years of restoration. [21]

It has been noted that there was a scarcity of berries in Victoria throughout the fruiting months in 2019. [22]

Conservation status

The species is listed as of "Least Concern" in Australia under the Nature Conservation Act 1992. [23] In New Zealand, Leucopogon parviflorus is classed as "At Risk - Naturally uncommon" under the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). [4]

Uses

Leucopogon parviflorus’ fruit is safe for humans to eat as a sweet food source once fully ripened. [24] Indigenous Australian communities such as the Djab Wurrung people have been harvesting the shrub's berries for hundreds of years and have extensive knowledge surrounding the shrub and other native Australian flora. [22] The fruit is mainly eaten as a snack as the majority of the fruit is the pip of the berry, with limited flesh. [24]

Because of L. parviflorus' slow growing nature it is often used for bonsai. Leaving the shrub exposed to the elements is an effective way to stunt the growth of the plant. [24]

Cultivation

It is common to see Leucopogon parviflorus used by Australian landscapers when putting together gardens along the coastline as a result of the plant’s attractive year-round flowering and its ability to thrive in what many other native plants find to be difficult soil conditions. [6]

Propagation methods, and the ease of propagation of L. parviflorus has been disputed between sources. The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network states that L. parviflorus is easy to grow from a fresh seed collected from one of the tree’s berries, and that it is also possible to propagate from wood cuttings, though this method is slower, and makes it much harder to successfully propagate. [4]

Another source disputes this, stating that cuttings from a new growth is a quicker, and easier way to propagate L. parviflorus as it a difficult and slow process to propagate from fresh seeds which is often not successful. [5] Cambridge Coast Care also states that propagation from seed is difficult, however is possible should the seed be exposed to natural rainfall. The organisation reports some propagators from the Australian east coast having success with propagation by planting “smoke-treated seeds that have been collected from bird droppings”. [16]

The not-for-profit conservation organisation, Friends of the Bluff refutes the ability to propagate from a fresh seed completely, instead stating that for a seed to germinate, it must first pass through a bird’s stomach. [12]

Related Research Articles

<i>Rubus parviflorus</i> Berry and plant

Rubus parviflorus, commonly called thimbleberry, is a species of Rubus native to northern temperate regions of North America. The plant has large hairy leaves and no thorns. It bears edible red fruit similar in appearance to a raspberry, but shorter, almost hemispherical. It has not been commercially developed for the retail berry market, but is cultivated for landscapes.

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

Leucopogon is a genus of about 150-160 species of shrubs or small trees in the family Ericaceae, in the section of that family formerly treated as the separate family Epacridaceae. They are native to Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, the western Pacific Islands and Malaysia, with the greatest species diversity in the south-west of Western Australia. Plants in this genus have leaves with a few more or less parallel veins, and tube-shaped flowers usually with a white beard inside.

<i>Osteospermum moniliferum</i> Species of plant

Osteospermum moniliferum is an evergreen flowering shrub or small tree in the daisy family, Asteraceae. It is native to southern Africa, ranging through South Africa and Lesotho to Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

<i>Ficinia nodosa</i> Species of plant

Ficinia nodosa, the knotted club-rush or knobby club-rush, is a rhizomatous perennial in the family Cyperaceae, native to South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. Widespread in the Southern Hemisphere, Ficinia nodosa grows to between 15 and 220 cm in height. Although it grows best in sandy, salty soil, the plant grows in a wide variety of environments from coastal sand dunes to alpine regions. F. nodosa’s appearance is characterised by dense clusters of long green stems topped with small, rounded flowers often remaining throughout the year.

<i>Alyxia buxifolia</i> Species of plant

Alyxia buxifolia, otherwise known as the sea box or dysentery bush, is a species of evergreen shrub in the family Apocynaceae.

<i>Osyris compressa</i> Species of flowering plant in the mistletoe family Santalaceae

Osyris compressa is a facultatively hemiparasitic, mainly South African plant of the sandalwood family, Santalaceae. Until recently, the favoured binomial name was Colpoon compressum, but around 2001, the genus Colpoon was included in Osyris on the basis of comparative DNA studies. That assignment is not final, however, and according to the Kew Gardens plant list, Colpoon compressum P.J.Bergius, though still in review, is the accepted name.

<i>Leucopogon juniperinus</i> Species of shrub

Leucopogon juniperinus, commonly known as prickly beard-heath, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It is an erect, densely-branched shrub with oblong to more or less egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and white, tube-shaped flowers arranged singly in upper leaf axils.

<i>Styphelia ericoides</i> Species of shrub

Styphelia ericoides, commonly known as the pink beard-heath, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a slender shrub with oblong leaves, and white to pinkish, tube-shaped flowers.

<i>Leucopogon amplexicaulis</i> Species of shrub

Leucopogon amplexicaulis, commonly known as beard-heath, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to eastern New South Wales. It is a scrambling or straggly shrub with egg-shaped, stem-clasping leaves with hairy edges, and spikes of small white flowers.

<i>Melaleuca groveana</i> Species of flowering plant

Melaleuca groveana, commonly known as Grove's paperbark is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to New South Wales and Queensland in Australia. It is an uncommon species with relatively large heads of white flowers in spring, the styles of which are significantly longer than the stamens.

<i>Leucopogon obovatus</i> Species of plant

Leucopogon obovatus is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with hairy young branchlets, variably-shaped, simple leaves, and erect clusters of 3 to 15 white, bell-shaped flowers on the ends of branches and in upper leaf axils.

<i>Leucopogon pendulus</i> Species of plant

Leucopogon pendulus is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, straggling shrub with oblong leaves and white, tube-shaped flowers that are bearded inside.

<i>Leucopogon fraseri</i> Species of flowering plant

Leucopogon fraseri is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is native to south-eastern continental Australia and New Zealand, where it is known as Styphelia nesophila, pātōtara, or dwarf mingimingi. It is a prickly, prostrate to trailing or low-growing shrub with egg-shaped leaves, and erect, tube-shaped white flowers usually arranged singly in leaf axils.

<i>Styphelia attenuata</i> Species of plant

Styphelia attenuata, commonly known as grey beard-heath, is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae. It has grey-green leaves and small white flowers and grows in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.

Styphelia confertus, commonly known as Torrington beard-heath, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to a restricted part of New South Wales. It is a small shrub with erect, oblong or lance-shaped leaves, and white, tube-shaped flowers, the petals with shaggy hairs.

<i>Styphelia cordifolia</i> Species of plant

Styphelia cordifolia, commonly known as heart-leaved beard-heath, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is an erect shrub with broadly egg-shaped to round leaves, and white, tube-shaped flowers, the petals bearded on the inside.

<i>Styphelia exolasia</i> Species of plant

Styphelia exolasia, commonly known as Woronora beard-heath, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to a small area of New South Wales. It is an erect shrub with oblong or elliptic leaves, and drooping, white, tube-shaped flowers.

<i>Leucopogon virgatus</i> Species of plant

Leucopogon virgatus, commonly known as common beard-heath, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is an erect to low-lying shrub with linear to narrowly lance-shaped or egg-shaped leaves, and erect clusters of three to seven white, tube-shaped flowers on the ends of branches and in upper leaf axils.

<i>Leucopogon woodsii</i> Species of plant

Leucopogon woodsii, commonly known as nodding beard-heath, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to southern continental Australia. It is a slender shrub with more or less erect, egg-shaped leaves, and pendent white, tube-shaped flowers with densely bearded lobes.

<i>Styphelia exarrhena</i> Species of flowering plant

Styphelia exarrhena, commonly known as desert styphelia, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to southern continental Australia. It is an erect shrub with erect or spreading egg-shaped leaves, and cream-coloured, tube-shaped flowers arranged singly or in pairs in upper leaf axils.

References

  1. ↑ Bessen, E. (2022). "Leucopogon parviflorus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2022: e.T198973280A198974217. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T198973280A198974217.en . Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Leucopogon parviflorus". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Powell, J.M. "Leucopogon parviflorus". PlantNET - New South Wales Flora Online. Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney Australia. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 De Lange, Peter (2021). "Leucopogon parviflorus". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Friends of Venus Bay Peninsula Inc (2015). "Plant of the month: Coast Beard-heath Leucopogon parviflorus" (PDF).
  6. 1 2 "Home grown is best". The Islander. 30 April 2015.
  7. ↑ "Styphelia parviflora Andrews | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  8. ↑ "Leucopogon parviflorus | International Plant Names Index". www.ipni.org. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  9. ↑ Alexander S. George ; F. Ali Sharr (compiler) (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA. ISBN   978-0-9580341-8-0. OCLC   1102050171.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. 1 2 3 "Coast Beard-heath". Agriculture Victoria. 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  11. 1 2 Domenghini, Cynthia (2021). "Fuzzy Plants". SFGATE. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  12. 1 2 "Coast Beard-heath". Friends of the Bluff. 2019.
  13. ↑ "Salinity Indicator Plants Glossary". Agriculture Victoria. 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  14. 1 2 3 VICFLORA (2021). "Leucopogon parviflorus".
  15. 1 2 Ivey-Law, Megan; Kirkpatrick, Jamie B. (May 2015). "Gardening the Wild: Change in the Flora and Vegetation of a Suburban Coastal Reserve 1911-2013: Gardening the Wild". Geographical Research. 53 (2): 121–133. doi:10.1111/1745-5871.12105.
  16. 1 2 "Plants of the West Coast: Leucopogon Parviflorus" (PDF). Cambridge Coast Care. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  17. 1 2 Gosper, C (2004). "Consequences of weed invasion and control on plant-bird interaction and bird communities".
  18. ↑ Gosper, C (1999). "Plant food resources of birds in coastal dune communities in New South Wales". Corella. 23 (3): 53–62.
  19. ↑ Rose, AB (2000). "Supplementary records of the diet of aquatic birds and waders in New South Wales I: Seabirds". Australian Field Ornithology. 18 (6): 209–219 – via Informit.
  20. ↑ Weiss, P. W.; Noble, I. R. (June 1984). "Status of coastal dune communities invaded by Chrysanthemoides monilifera". Austral Ecology. 9 (2): 93–98. doi:10.1111/j.1442-9993.1984.tb01347.x. ISSN   1442-9985.
  21. ↑ Digby, Ryan; Finos, Paul; Giacopini, Scott; Jusaitis, Manfred; Gibbs, Joan; Petit, Sophie (2014). "DENSITY OF FOUR MID-STOREY PLANT SPECIES IN BURNT AND UNBURNT HABITAT IN BAGDAD NATIVE FOREST RESERVE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA". The South Australian Naturalist. 88. doi:10.13140/2.1.2636.6086.
  22. 1 2 Njume, Collise; McAinch, Andrew J.; Donkor, Osaana (May 2020). "Proximate and phenolic composition of selected native Australian food plants". International Journal of Food Science & Technology. 55 (5): 2060–2079. doi: 10.1111/ijfs.14400 . hdl: 11343/252441 . ISSN   0950-5423.
  23. ↑ "Species profile—Leucopogon parviflorus". 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  24. 1 2 3 "Coastal-beard Heath". Surf Coast Nature Search.
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