Orites revolutus

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Orites revolutus
Orites revolutus - Walls of Jerusalem.jpg
Orites revolutus,
Walls of Jerusalem National Park
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Proteales
Family: Proteaceae
Genus: Orites
Species:
O. revolutus
Binomial name
Orites revolutus
Synonyms

Orites revoluta

Orites revolutus , also known as narrow-leaf orites, is a Tasmanian endemic plant species in the family Proteaceae. Scottish botanist Robert Brown formally described the species in Transactions of the Linnean Society of London in 1810 from a specimen collected at Lake St Clair. [2] Abundant in alpine and subalpine heath, it is a small to medium shrub 0.5 to 1.5 m (1 ft 8 in to 4 ft 11 in) tall, with relatively small, blunt leaves with strongly revolute margins. The white flowers grow on terminal spikes during summer. [3] Being proteaceaous, O. revolutus is likely to provide a substantial food source for nectivorous animal species within its range.

Contents

Description

Orites revolutus grows as a spreading bush or an erect, woody shrub, usually 0.5–1.5 m (1 ft 8 in – 4 ft 11 in) in height. Branching is dense and the leaves are alternate up the stem. Leaf shape is narrow and fairly blunt at the apex, 7–20 mm long, 1-1.5 mm wide, with tightly revolute margins and a hairy surface on the underside. Flowering occurs in early to mid-summer with the sour-scented flowers arising on terminal spikes to twice the length of the leaves. White in colour, they are 5 mm long, actinomorphic and bisexual with 4 adnate stamens and a superior ovary. The corolla is valvate, tubular in bud and split at maturity. Fruit is a hairy follicle to 15mm containing winged seeds. [3] [4]

The species is often confused with Olearia ledifolia in the field, however this unrelated plant lacks the woody follicles.

Evolution and taxonomy

Orites revolutus is 1 of 9 species in the genus Orites , with 7 endemic to Australia and only 4 in Tasmania. The remaining 2 species reside in the Chilean Andes and Bolivia. [5] Recent phylogenetic work suggests the genus Orites spread over the Gondwanan continent from South America to Australia during the Paleogene, reaching Australia by the Early Oligocene. [6] Fossils of Orites revolutus indistinguishable from contemporary specimens have been recorded in Early Pleistocene sediments from western Tasmania, suggesting the species is at least this old. [7]

The name Orites revoluta (referring to the tightly revolute leaf margins) was first published by the Linnaean Society of London in March 1810 in the paper On the natural order of plants called Proteaceae by Robert Brown. [8] However, the orthographic variant Orites revolutus is used just as widely and is often reported to be the more correct species name. [4]

Brown's paper also established the genus Orites, named for the Greek oreites, meaning “a mountaineer” (denoting the montane distribution of the genus). The paper included dozens of pages of taxonomic revisions for the family Proteaceae, although much of this important work is not officially attributed to Brown. [9]

Distribution

Distribution map of Orites revolutus showing Tasmanian restriction. Orites revolutus distribution.jpg
Distribution map of Orites revolutus showing Tasmanian restriction.

Orites revolutus is endemic to Tasmania, however it is extensive on mountain plateaus at altitudes ranging from 700 to 1300 m. [4] It occurs in rocky areas of better drained soil within alpine and subalpine heaths and woodlands, and may be present both on dolerite and sedimentary substrates. [10] [11] The mean annual temperature within the plant's range hovers around 8 °C (46 °F) and rainfall tends to be as high as 1700 or even 2000 mm (67 – 78 in) annually. [12] [13] Orites revolutus can be seen at many localities within the state including the Hartz Mountains, Mount Field, Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair and Ben Lomond National Parks, as well as Wellington Park near Tasmania's capital city of Hobart. [14]

Ecology

An insect visitor to Orites revoluta Orites revoluta - Proteaceae.JPG
An insect visitor to Orites revoluta

Orites revolutus is a prominent shrub in alpine and subalpine sclerophyll heath and woodland, commonly occurring alongside Epacris serpyllifolia , Baeckea gunniana , Richea sprengelioides , Eucalyptus coccifera , Empodisma minus , Leptospermum rupestre and Orites acicularis . The two Orites species tend to be roughly similar in their distribution and dominance within the vegetation. [15]

The sour-smelling white flowers arise in terminal spikes in early to mid-summer (December and January). Surveys of insect visitors to Orites species in mainland Australia and New Zealand suggest pollination by small to medium insects such as bees in the genera Lasioglossum and Hylaeus and many types of flies including families Syrphidae, Calliphoridae, Muscidae, Empididae and Tachinidae, all of which occur in Tasmania. [16] [17] This is consistent with the tendency of many Orites species to display purple ‘bee lines’ on the white to cream tepals.

Numerous seeds develop in hairy follicles over the following months. Orites revolutus may be heavily infested by the seed parasite Symphygas nephaula, which lays its eggs in the developing flower bud before the seed pods have formed. After hatching, the larvae feed on the maturing seeds as they become available. Orites revolutus is a preferred host for this tortricid moth borer as compared to O. acicularis, which has a heavily overlapping range, and plants at lower altitudes are more likely to become infested. It is thought that this parasite may be the most important agent of predispersal seed loss in the plant. [15]

The mature follicles dry and split open, releasing the seeds into the nearby environment. The seeds will remain in the soil until there is sufficient disturbance (such as a wildfire) to stimulate their germination, or until they are no longer viable. Studies of alpine and subalpine heath indicate a minimum average fire-free period greater than 250 years, and it is unlikely that many seeds will persist this long. [18] It appears that plants of O. revolutus maintain themselves predominantly through vegetative propagation during the long disturbance free periods, and the great majority of young plants are the result of underground stems. It is therefore possible that the high levels of parasitism witnessed in the seed pods of O. revolutus represent a negligible impact on recruitment. Indeed, O. revolutus is one of the few species in the community able to resprout after fire, a character absent even in O. acicularis [15] [19]

Many species of arthropods have been observed inhabiting O. revolutus plants, including members of the families Sminthuridae, Entomobryidae, Membracidae, Curculionidae, and Miridae, and species from the genera Diaea , Rhyzobius , and Nannochorista . Orites revolutus supports a higher arthropod diversity than the generally co-dominant O. acicularis, possibly due to the plant's more complex shape (and therefor niche mosaic), although this diversity is only evident in full sized plants. Consistent with this higher diversity is a reduction in ecological dominance by a handful of taxa. [15]

O. revolutus’ namesake revolute leaf margins are very likely an adaption to the harsh growing conditions of its range, presumably adding structural integrity to leaves often exposed to frost, sleet and driving wind, as well as very high UV levels. The margins would also reduce air movement across the stomata, presumably protecting the plant from desiccation. This is supported by observations that plants growing in shady subalpine pockets—where the need for sunlight may offset the need for a tough exterior—tend to have flatter or broader leaves with recurved rather than revolute margins. [20] [21]

Little is known about fungal interactions with O. revolutus, however there is clear evidence of dieback in Tasmania's Central Highlands that may be attributed to a Phytophthora species. [22]

Related Research Articles

Tasmanian temperate rainforests Terrestrial ecoregion in Tasmania, Australia

The Tasmanian temperate rain forests are a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion in western Tasmania. The ecoregion is part of the Australasian realm, which includes Tasmania and Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, New Caledonia, and adjacent islands.

<i>Nothofagus gunnii</i> Species of plant

Nothofagus gunnii, the tanglefoot or deciduous beech, is a deciduous shrub or small tree endemic to the highlands of Tasmania, Australia. It was described in 1847 by R.C Gunn N. gunnii is a small woody tree with a shrubby appearance known to grow up to 8 metres (26 ft). It lives only on mountains due to temperature limitations within the Tasmanian maritime climate and mainly grows at altitudes greater than 800 metres (2,600 ft) above sea level. It grows in alpine and sub-alpine regions in the central portions of the island. Though capable of reaching the size of a small tree, it is most common as a thick shrub or woody ground cover, hence its common name of "tanglefoot".

<i>Xylomelum</i> Genus of plants in the family Proteaceae native to Australia

Xylomelum is a genus of six species of flowering plants, often commonly known as woody pears, in the family Proteaceae and are endemic to Australia. Plants in this genus are tall shrubs or small trees with leaves arranged in opposite pairs, relatively small flowers arranged in spike-like groups, and the fruit a woody, more or less pear-shaped follicle.

<i>Diselma</i> Genus of conifers

Diselma archeri is a species of plant of the family Cupressaceae and the sole species in the genus Diselma. It is endemic to the alpine regions of Tasmania's southwest and Central Highlands, on the western coast ranges and Lake St. Clair. It is a monotypic genus restricted to high altitude rainforest and moist alpine heathland. Its distribution mirrors very closely that of other endemic Tasmanian conifers Microcachrys tetragona and Pherosphaera hookeriana.

<i>Banksia canei</i> Shrub species endemic to Australia

Banksia canei, commonly known as the mountain banksia, is a species of shrub that is endemic to southeastern Australia. It is generally encountered as a many-branched shrub that grows up to 3 m (10 ft) high, with narrow leaves and the yellow inflorescences appearing from late summer to early winter. The old flowers fall off the spikes and up to 150 finely furred follicles develop, which remain closed until burnt in a bushfire. Each follicle bears two winged seeds. Response to fire is poorly known, although it is thought to regenerate by seed. Birds such as the yellow-tufted honeyeater and various insects forage among the flower spikes. It is frost tolerant in cultivation, but copes less well with aridity or humidity and is often short-lived in gardens. One cultivar, Banksia 'Celia Rosser', was registered in 1978, but has subsequently vanished.

<i>Orites</i> Genus of plants in the family Proteaceae

Orites is a genus of 9 known species, 7 endemic to Australia and 2 in South America; 1 in the Chilean Andes and 1 in Bolivia.

<i>Eucalyptus coccifera</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus coccifera, commonly known as the Tasmanian snow gum, is a small to medium-sized tree endemic to Tasmania. It has smooth, grey and cream-coloured bark, elliptic to lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between three and nine, usually white flowers and conical, hemispherical or cup-shaped fruit.

<i>Telopea truncata</i> Shrub in the family Proteaceae endemic to Tasmania

Telopea truncata, commonly known as the Tasmanian waratah, is a plant in the family Proteaceae. It is endemic to Tasmania where it is found on moist acidic soils at altitudes of 600 to 1200 m (2000–4000 ft). Telopea truncata is a component of alpine eucalypt forest, rainforest and scrub communities. It grows as a multistemmed shrub to a height of 3 metres (10 ft), or occasionally as a small tree to 10 m (35 ft) high, with red flower heads, known as inflorescences, appearing over the Tasmanian summer and bearing 10 to 35 individual flowers. Yellow-flowered forms are occasionally seen, but do not form a population distinct from the rest of the species.

<i>Richea scoparia</i> Species of flowering plant

Richea scoparia, is a wide spread Tasmanian endemic plant. The genus Richea, forms part of the Ericaceae family, which are commonly heath-like shrubs. The name refers to the erect bushy growth habit, described as a broom-like shrub, most commonly referred to as the honey bush or simply scoparia to many bushwalkers.

<i>Agastachys</i> Monotypic genus of flowering shrub in the family Proteaceae

Agastachys odorata, commonly known as the white waratah or fragrant candlebush, is the sole member of the genus Agastachys in the protea family. It is an evergreen shrub to small tree and is endemic to the heaths and button grass sedgelands of western Tasmania.

<i>Cenarrhenes</i> Monotypic genus of plants in the family Proteaceae

Cenarrhenes is a monytypic genus in the family Proteaceae containing the single species Cenarrhenes nitida, known as the Port Arthur plum or native plum. Cenarrhenes nitida is an evergreen shrub to small tree endemic to the rainforests and scrublands of western Tasmania. It bears white flowers in late spring followed by the development of fleshy fruit.

Alpine vegetation refers to the zone of vegetation between the altitudinal limit for tree growth and the nival zone. Alpine zones in Tasmania can be difficult to classify owing to Tasmania's maritime climate limiting snow lie to short periods and the presence of a tree line that is not clearly defined.

<i>Lomatia polymorpha</i> Species of shrub or small tree of the family Proteaceae which is endemic to Tasmania

Lomatia polymorpha, commonly known as mountain guitar plant, is a shrub or small tree of the family Proteaceae which is endemic to Tasmania. It is a shrub or small tree with linear leaves, and white, cream-coloured or greenish flowers. It is common throughout its range which is approximately complementary to that of L. tinctoria in Tasmania.

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

Campynema is a genus in the family Campynemataceae first described in 1805. It contains only one known species (monotypic), Campynema lineare, endemic to the island of Tasmania in Australia. Its closest relative is Campynemanthe, endemic to New Caledonia, sole other genus of the family.

<i>Astelia alpina</i> Species of flowering plant

Astelia alpina called pineapple grass, silver astelia, or perching lily is a commonly found species in alpine and subalpine areas of Tasmania and the Australian Alps. It is a perennial herb that typically dominates its environment by growing in dense clusters, called mats, in alpine bogs. There are two subspecies: Astelia alpina var. novae hollandiae from New South Wales and Victoria and Astelia alpina var. alpina endemic to Tasmania. Both subspecies appear very similar to each other. The species was originally described by Robert Brown.

<i>Pimelea sericea</i> Species of shrub

Pimelea sericea is a species of shrub in the family Thymelaeaceae. It is native to Australia, specifically Tasmania. Their common name is mountain rice flower. Pimelea means fat and sericea means silk. The reason could be that Pimelea species usually have oily seeds and fleshy cotyledon. The sericea came from the fact that they are covered with silky hair.

<i>Orites diversifolia</i> Species of flowering plant

Orites diversifolia (=diversifolius), commonly known as variable orites, is a member of the family Proteaceae and is endemic to Tasmania. The common name stems from the variable form of the leaves, which range from entire and linear to serrated and ovate. It is a common shrub in lowland rainforest, subalpine woodland and scrub.

<i>Cyathodes straminea</i> Species of flowering plant

Cyathodes straminea, also known as false-whorled cheeseberry, is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae endemic to Tasmania, where it grows as an alpine to subalpine shrub with a spreading habit. The generic name Cyathodes was derived from Greek "Cyath" = cup and "odes" = like, referring to the ovary encircled by cup-shaped nectary.

<i>Orites acicularis</i> Species of plant in the family Proteaceae endemic to Tasmania, Australia

Orites acicularis, commonly known as yellow bush, is an angiosperm endemic to Tasmania, Australia and is a member of the genus Orites within the family Proteaceae. The species was first described in 1810 by Scottish botanist Robert Brown in Transactions of the Linnean Society of London.

<i>Olearia ledifolia</i> Species of shrub

Olearia ledifolia, commonly known as rock daisy bush, is a species of flowering plant of the family Asteraceae. It is endemic to Tasmania and found at higher altitudes where it grows as a low, compact bush with tough, leathery leaves and small white and yellow daisy-like "flowers" in summer.

References

  1. ↑ "Orites revolutus". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government, Canberra. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
  2. ↑ von Mueller, Ferdinand (1873). "Contributions to the phytography of Tasmania (III)" (PDF). Monthly Notices of Papers & Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania: 63. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  3. 1 2 Tosch, Paul. "Orites revoluta". Field Botany. University of Tasmania. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 "Orites revoluta". Flora of Australia Online. Department of the Environment and Heritage, Australian Government. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  5. ↑ George, Alex S.; Hyland, Bernie P. M. (1995). "Orites". Flora of Australia: Volume 16: Eleagnaceae, Proteaceae 1: 347.
  6. ↑ Carpenter, Raymond J. (2012). "Proteaceae Leaf Fossils: Phylogeny, Diversity, Ecology and Austral Distributions". The Botanical Review. 28 (3): 261–287. doi:10.1007/s12229-012-9099-y. S2CID   18093576.
  7. ↑ Jordan, Greg J. (1995). "Early-Middle Pleistocene leaves of extinct and extant Proteaceae from western Tasmania, Australia". Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 118: 19–35. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.1995.tb00458.x.
  8. ↑ Brown, Robert (1810). "On the natural order of plants called Proteaceae". Transactions of the Linnean Society of London. 10 (1): 190.
  9. ↑ Britten, James (1886). "On the nomenclature of some Proteaceae". Journal of Botany. 24: 296–300.
  10. ↑ Lynch, A. J. J.; Kirkpatrick, J. B. (1995). "Pattern and Process in Alpine Vegetation and Landforms at Hill One, Southern Range, Tasmania". Australian Journal of Botany. 43 (6): 537–554. doi:10.1071/bt9950537.
  11. ↑ Kirkpatrick, J. B.; Balmer, J. (1991). "The vegetation and higher plant flora of the Cradle Mountain-Pencil Pine area, northern Tasmania". Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania. 124 (2): 119–137. doi: 10.26749/rstpp.124.2.119 .
  12. ↑ Hill, R. S.; Jordan, G. J. (1996). "Macrofossils as indicators of Plio-Pleistocene climates in Tasmania and Antarctica". Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania. 130 (2): 9–15. doi: 10.26749/rstpp.130.2.9 .
  13. ↑ Kirkpatrick J. B. Pers. comm.
  14. ↑ "Tasmanian Endemic Flora Species". Australian Plants Society Tasmania Inc.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Tan, E. (2009). Arthropod Communities and Seed Predation in Tasmanian Alpine Orites. University of Tasmania.
  16. ↑ Primack, RB (1983). "Insect pollination in the New Zealand mountain flora". New Zealand Journal of Botany. 21 (3): 317–333. doi:10.1080/0028825x.1983.10428561.
  17. ↑ Inouye, D. W.; Pyke, G. H. (1998). "Pollination biology in the Snowy Mountains of Australia: comparisons with montane Colorado, USA". Australian Journal of Ecology. 13 (2): 191–210. doi:10.1111/j.1442-9993.1988.tb00968.x.
  18. ↑ Fire Management in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area: A Report to the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service (PDF). UTAS Innovation LTD Final Report. 2007. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  19. ↑ Kirkpatrick, J. B.; Dickinson, K. J. M. (1984). "The impact of fire on Tasmanian alpine vegetation and soils". Australian Journal of Botany. 32 (6): 613–629. doi:10.1071/bt9840613.
  20. ↑ Jordan, Greg. "Orites revolutus". Key to Tasmanian Vascular Plants. University of Tasmania. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  21. ↑ Jordan, Gregory J. (1995). "Early-Middle Pleistocene leaves of extinct and extant Proteaceae from western Tasmania, Australia". Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 118: 19–35. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.1995.tb00458.x.
  22. ↑ Whinam, Jenny; Chilcott, Nicki; Rudman, Tim (2001). "Impacts of dieback at Pine Lake, Tasmania" (PDF). Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania. 135. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
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