| Bolly gum | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Magnoliids |
| Order: | Laurales |
| Family: | Lauraceae |
| Genus: | Neolitsea |
| Species: | N. dealbata |
| Binomial name | |
| Neolitsea dealbata | |
| Synonyms [4] | |
| |
Neolitsea dealbata, also known as white bolly gum, hairy-leaved bolly gum, or simply bolly gum (amongst others) [lower-alpha 1] , is a shrub or small tree in the laurel family Lauraceae which is native to New South Wales and Queensland in Australia.
The bolly gum is an evergreen tree growing up to 15 m (49 ft) high, the trunk can reach 30 cm (12 in) diameter and may be buttressed. [5] [6] [7] The twigs are densely covered in fine brown hairs on the younger parts and are terete (circular in cross-section). [5] [6] [7] The leaves are generally elliptic but may be obovate or lanceolate, and new growth is also covered in brown hairs. [5] [6] [7] They measure between 7 and 22 cm (2.8 and 8.7 in) long by 3 and 8 cm (1.2 and 3.1 in) wide. [5] [6] [7] The upper surface is glossy green, the underside is whitish or glaucous. [5] [6] [7]
The inflorescence is an umbel produced in the leaf axils or directly from the twigs. There are up to five flowers per umbel, cream, yellow or pale brown in colour, and measuring from 2 to 8 cm (0.79 to 3.15 in) long. The female flowers are about half as long as male ones. [5] The globose (roughly spherical) fruit is a drupe up to 11 mm (0.43 in) in diameter, green when immature and dark red to black when ripe, and they contain a single seed. [5] [6] [7]
This species has been given several names since it was first described in 1810 by the Scottish botanist Robert Brown, who originally called it Tetranthera dealbata. [3] Later, the genus Tetranthera was subsumed by Litsea Lam., and the German botanist Nees von Esenbeck published a new name for the species - Litsea dealbata - in 1836. [8] [9] In 1838 Constantine Samuel Rafinesque, a French polymath, again revised T. dealbata in his book Sylva telluriana and gave it the new combination Bryantea dealbata. [10] [11]
Rafinesque's work, despite being a validly published name, was largely ignored by his contemporaries and in 1948 the American botanist Elmer Drew Merrill published a new combination that is still accepted, i.e. Neolitsea dealbata. [9] [12]
The genus name Neolitsea is a combination of the Ancient Greek word néos (meaning "new") and the pre-existing genus name Litsea . The members of Neolitsea were mostly transferred from Litsea. The species epithet dealbata is Latin for "whitewashed", and refers to the white undersides of the leaves. [13]
Many common names have been used for this plant, including those in the following list. Other variations exist which are minor differences between, for example, "bollygum" and "bolly gum", etc. [1] [6] [5]
The bolly gum has a wide distribution on the coast and adjacent tablelands of eastern Australia, stretching from islands of the Torres Strait south to the Illawarra region south of Sydney. [14] It is an understory species found in rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest on a variety of soil types, and at altitudes from sea level to 1,150 m (3,770 ft). [5] [7] [6]
This plant is a host species for larvae of the moths Acrocercops ordinatella and Gibbovalva quadrifasciata , as well as the blue triangle butterfly (Graphium sarpedon). [15] Cassowaries (Casuarius casuarius) and fruit doves (genus Ptilinopus) are known to eat the fruit of these trees, and it’s likely that many other frugivorous birds do so as well. [6] The fungus Phyllachora queenslandica is found on Neolitsea dealbata. [16]
Neolitsea is a genus of about 85 species of evergreen shrubs and small trees in the laurel family Lauraceae. They range from Indo-Malaysia to East Asia to Australia. The leaves are alternate, clustered, or verticillate, rarely subopposite. Species are dioecious, with separate male and female plants.
Heritiera littoralis, commonly known as the looking-glass mangrove or tulip mangrove, is a mangrove tree in the family Malvaceae native to coastal areas of eastern Africa, Asia, Melanesia and northern Australia. The common name refers to the silvery appearance of the underside of the leaves, resembling a mirror to some degree. The strong timber has uses in marine applications and elsewhere.
Normanbya is a monotypic genus of palms containing the single species Normanbya normanbyi, which is known by the common name black palm It is endemic to Queensland, Australia and is threatened by habitat destruction.
Litsea reticulata is a common Australian tree, growing from near Milton, New South Wales to the Bunya Mountains, Queensland. Common names include bollygum, bolly wood and brown beech. The habitat of the bollygum is rainforest of most types, except the dryer forms.
Bollygum may refer to a number of tree species:
Phyllachora is a genus of fungi in the family Phyllachoraceae. An Outline of Fungi in 2020 listed up to 1513 species.
Triplarina is a genus of seven species of flowering plants in the family Myrtaceae. They are Baeckea-like shrubs with small leaves arranged in opposite pairs and flowers with five sepals, five more or less round petals, and fourteen to eighteen stamens that are shorter than the petals. Species of Triplarina occur in New South Wales and Queensland usually growing in woodland or forest.
Elaeocarpus bancroftii, commonly known as Kuranda quandong, Johnstone River almond, ebony heart, grey nut, or nut tree is a large rainforest tree in the family Elaeocarpaceae which is endemic to Queensland. It has coriaceous leaves, attractive white flowers and relatively large fruit containing an edible kernel.
Orbexilum, commonly called leather-root, is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family (Fabaceae). They are native to North America, where they are found in the United States and Mexico, south to Chiapas.
Atractocarpus fitzalanii, commonly known as the brown gardenia or yellow mangosteen, is a species of plant in the coffee and madder family Rubiaceae. It is found in coastal parts of tropical Queensland, Australia. The beautifully scented flowers and glossy foliage has seen this plant enter cultivation in gardens of eastern Australia.
Litsea leefeana, known as the brown bolly gum or brown bollywood is a rainforest tree in the laurel family. A small to medium-sized tree endemic to the rainforests of tropical Queensland, Australia.
Neolitsea australiensis, also known as the green bolly gum, is an Australian rainforest tree, in the laurel family. The specific epithet is derived from "Australia", and the Latin "ensis"; meaning "native of Australia".
Carnarvonia araliifolia, commonly known as the red oak, red silky oak, Caledonian oak or elephant's foot, is the sole species in the monotypic genus Carnarvonia, a member of the Proteaceae plant family. It is endemic to the rainforests of northeastern Queensland.
Litsea glutinosa is a rainforest tree in the laurel family, Lauraceae. Common names include soft bollygum, bolly beech, Bollywood, bollygum, brown bollygum, brown Bollywood, sycamore and brown beech.
Bollywood may refer to a number of tree species:
Dillenia alata, commonly known as red beech, golden guinea flower or golden guinea tree, is a tree in the Dilleniaceae family, found in tropical forests of the Moluccas, New Guinea, and northern Australia.
Syzygium apodophyllum is a tree in the Myrtaceae family endemic to north Queensland. The fruit is edible. It is a host for the exotic plant-pathogen fungus Austropuccinia psidii, which is causing a lot of damage to vegetation communities and economic plants.
Cleistanthus hylandii, commonly known as Bernie's Cleistanthus, is an evergreen plant in the family Phyllanthaceae which is endemic to Cape York Peninsula in far northern Queensland, Australia.
Benstonea monticola, commonly known as scrub breadfruit or urchin-fruited pandan, is a plant in the family Pandanaceae which is endemic to rainforested parts of north east Queensland, Australia.
Diploglottis diphyllostegia, commonly known as the northern tamarind, native tamarind or wild tamarind, is a tree in the lychee family Sapindaceae which is endemic to Queensland, Australia. It is an attractive tree with potential in cultivation, with a dense crown of dark green leaves and masses of fruit in spring and summer.
Data related to Neolitsea dealbata at Wikispecies
Media related to Neolitsea dealbata at Wikimedia Commons