| Pandanus grayorum | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Pandanales |
| Family: | Pandanaceae |
| Genus: | Pandanus |
| Species: | P. grayorum |
| Binomial name | |
| Pandanus grayorum | |
Pandanus grayorum is a plant in the family Pandanaceae which is endemic to a very small area of northeast Queensland. It is closely related to both Pandanus gemmifer and Pandanus solms-laubachii , and it coexists with the latter.
Pandanus grayorum is an evergreen tree growing up to 9 m (30 ft) high. Like P. gemmifer the stem is marked with spirally arranged nodules, and there are numerous "pups" or plantlets on the branches. There may be prop or stilt roots up to 50 cm (20 in) high emanating from the lowest portion of the stem. Leaves are about 250 cm (98 in) long, 9 cm (3.5 in) wide at the base and tapering gradually along the full length to a fine point. Small spurs occur along the leaf margins and midrib. [4]
The inflorescence is terminal and pendant, occurring from mid-spring to mid-summer. The fruit is a syncarp measuring up to 40 cm (16 in) long by 22 cm (8.7 in) wide, orange-red in colour, with numerous segments each with 12–18 carpels. Fruit mature over a period of almost 12 months, ripening around the same time as the next season's flowers appear. [4] The tree can also reproduce by means of the "pups", which detach and fall to the ground and can grow into a new plant beneath the parent. [4] [5]
This species was first described in 2020 by Martin Wilhelm Callmander, Sven Buerki, Frank Zich, Ashley R. Field and Timothy Gallaher. Their paper, titled Pandanus grayorum (Pandanaceae), a new species endemic to north-eastern Queensland (Australia), was published in June 2021 in the journal Australian Systematic Botany . [5]
The species epithet grayorum was chosen by the authors to honour the Australian botanist Bruce Gray, who spent many years working in North Queensland, [6] on his 80th birthday. [2] [4]
Pandanus grayorum has a very limited distribution, occurring in lowland rainforest and mangrove forest margins in close proximity to the Russell, Mulgrave, Johnstone, Alice, and Moresby rivers in the coastal area between Cairns and Silkwood. [4] [7] It has an extent of occurrence (EEO) of 231 km2 (89 sq mi), with a very small area of occupancy (AOO) of just 28 km2 (11 sq mi). [4]
This species is listed by the Queensland Department of Environment and Science as least concern. [1] As of 15 February 2023 [update] , it has not been assessed by the IUCN.
The authors suggest in their paper that the species be given a status of vulnerable, due to the fact that most collections of it are from outside protected areas, and the areas adjacent to occurrences are mostly agricultural which are potentially subject to clearing. [4] [5]
Pandanaceae is a family of flowering plants native to the tropics and subtropics of the Old World, from West Africa through the Pacific. It contains 982 known species in five genera, of which the type genus, Pandanus, is the most important, with species like Pandanus amaryllifolius and karuka being important sources of food. The family likely originated during the Late Cretaceous.
Agathis atropurpurea, commonly known as the blue kauri, and occasionally as the black kauri or purple kauri, is a species of conifer in the very ancient plant family Araucariaceae. The family was distributed almost worldwide during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, but is now mostly confined to the Southern hemisphere. This species is endemic to a small part of northeastern Queensland, Australia.
Dysoxylum pettigrewianum, commonly known as spur mahogany, spurwood, or Cairns satinwood, is a large tree in the family Meliaceae. It is native to the rainforests of Malesia, Papuasia and Queensland. In Queensland it occurs only in a small part of the northeast coast.
Syzygium cormiflorum, commonly known as the bumpy satinash, is a species of Syzygium tree endemic to Queensland in northeastern Australia.
Hollandaea is a small genus of plants in the family Proteaceae containing four species of Australian rainforest trees. All four species are endemic to restricted areas of the Wet Tropics of northeast Queensland.
Opisthiolepis is a genus of a sole described species of large trees, constituting part of the plant family Proteaceae. The species Opisthiolepis heterophylla most commonly has the names of blush silky oak, pink silky oak, brown silky oak and drunk rabbit.
Sarcotoechia is a genus of tropical rainforest trees, constituting part of the plant family Sapindaceae.
Benstonea is a genus of flowering plants in the family Pandanaceae. It was formerly classified as Pandanus subgenus Acrostigma, but in 2012 was recognized as a distinct genus based on morphology and DNA sequencing. Benstonea is distributed from India to Fiji with centres of diversity in Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia and New Guinea.
Syzygium alliiligneum, commonly known as onionwood, Mission Beach satinash or bark in the wood is a species of plant in the family Myrtaceae. It is endemic to a small part of north eastern Queensland.
Gardenia ovularis is a small tree in the family Rubiaceae. It is endemic to a very restricted part of north east Queensland, namely the coastal rainforests from the Bloomfield River southwards to Etty Bay, and with a further isolated occurrence at Mount Elliot, south of Townsville It was first described by Frederick Manson Bailey in 1893.
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.
Xanthophyllum octandrum, commonly known as Macintyre's boxwood, false jitta, yellow boxwood or sovereignwood, is a slow-growing tree in the milkwort family Polygalaceae which has the potential to reach thousands of years of age. It is endemic to coastal northeastern Queensland, Australia.
Selaginella longipinna, commonly known as the electric fern, is a plant in the spike moss family Selaginellaceae. It is endemic to northeastern Queensland, growing in rainforest and closed forest from Cooktown to near Mission Beach, including the Atherton Tablelands. It is a terrestrial plant forming a dense cover to 40 cm (16 in) high, often near streams.
Alstonia muelleriana is a tree in the family Apocynaceae which is native to southern Papua New Guinea and northeastern Queensland.
Atractocarpus merikin, commonly known as the mountain gardenia or merikin, is a plant in the Rubiaceae family endemic to northeast Queensland.
Alpinia arctiflora is a plant in the ginger family (Zingiberaceae) endemic to Queensland.
Alyxia oblongata, commonly known as the chain fruit, prickly lixy, or prickly Alyxia, is a plant in the dogbane family Apocynaceae endemic to a small part of northeastern Queensland.
Ormosia ormondii, commonly known as yellow bean, is a medium sized tree up to 25 m (82 ft) in height in the pea and bean family Fabaceae. The leaves are compound with up to 9 leaflets. Masses of pink flowers are produced on axillary panicles from October to December. The fruit is a dehiscent pod up to 90 mm (3.5 in) long by 20 mm (0.79 in) wide, containing up to 5 bright red seeds around 12 mm (0.47 in) diameter.
Pandanus gemmifer, commonly known as pup pandan, is a plant in the family Pandanaceae that is endemic to northeast Queensland. It is closely related to Pandanus grayorum and Pandanus solms-laubachii.
Pandanus solms-laubachii, commonly known as swamp pandan, is a plant in the family Pandanaceae endemic to northeastern Queensland. It is closely related to both Pandanus gemmifer and Pandanus grayorum.
Data related to Pandanus grayorum at Wikispecies
Media related to Pandanus grayorum at Wikimedia Commons