Pavetta australiensis | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Gentianales |
Family: | Rubiaceae |
Genus: | Pavetta |
Species: | P. australiensis |
Binomial name | |
Pavetta australiensis | |
Pavetta australiensis, commonly known as Butterfly Bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rubiaceae, found in drier rainforest areas in north eastern Australia and Papua New Guinea. [1] [2] Pavetta australiensis is a small rounded shrub that grows up to 4 meters in height, characterized by its soft, green leaves. The species is notable for its triangular stipules that are prominent on branchlets and persist on stems, and its terminal buds that are shiny in appearance. The leaves are opposite, dark green, and have a softly succulent look. [3]
Butterfly bush produces showy, white, and perfumed flowers in dense clusters up to 10 cm across, which typically appear in October and November. The flowers are highly ornamental and moderately fast-growing. [4]
The shrub bears globose fruit up to 8 mm in diameter, which are initially green and turn black upon ripening. The fruit usually appears in February and March. [5]
This shrub is typically found in drier rainforest margins and along creeks and gullies in Australia and Papua New Guinea, and it thrives in full sun or part shade.
The genus name pavetta is derived from the Sinhalese name for the plant, Pavetta indica. The species epithet australiensis combines "Australia" and the Latin suffix "-ensis," meaning "belonging to."
Pavetta Australiensis is highly attractive to pollinators, especially butterflies, which is where is gets the name “butterfly bush”. In Australia, it is viewed as a better alternative to introduced species, such as buddleja davidii.
Grevillea, commonly known as spider flowers, is a genus of about 360 species of evergreen flowering plants in the family Proteaceae. Plants in the genus Grevillea are shrubs, rarely trees, with the leaves arranged alternately along the branches, the flowers zygomorphic, arranged in racemes at the ends of branchlets, and the fruit a follicle that splits down one side only, releasing one or two seeds.
Semecarpus australiensis, commonly known as the tar tree, native cashew, marking nut, or cedar plum, is a species of tree in the cashew, sumac and mango family Anacardiaceae, native to parts of Melanesia and northern Australia. Contact with the plant can cause serious allergic reactions, a common characteristic of this family.
Homalanthus populifolius, the bleeding heart, native poplar or Queensland poplar, is an Australian rainforest plant in the family Euphorbiaceae. It often appears in areas of rainforest disturbance. Bleeding heart is highly regarded by rainforest regenerators because of its fast growth and use as a pioneer species in rainforest regeneration.
Cupaniopsis anacardioides, commonly known as tuckeroo, cashew-leaf cupania, carrotwood, beach tamarind or green-leaved tamarind, is a species of flowering plant in the family, Sapindaceae, and is native to eastern and northern Australia. It is a tree with paripinnate leaves with 4 to 8 egg-shaped leaflets with the narrower end towards the base, or elliptic leaves, and separate male and female flowers arranged in panicles, the fruit a more or less spherical golden yellow capsule.
Cryptocarya laevigata, commonly known as red-fruited laurel, glossy laurel or grey sassafras, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lauraceae and is native to Malesia, New Guinea and eastern Australia. It is a shrub or tree with lance-shaped to elliptic leaves, creamy white, pale green and perfumed flowers, and more or less spherical, red to orange-yellow drupes.
Atractocarpus benthamianus is a species of flowering plant in the family Rubiaceae growing in eastern Australia, commonly known as native gardenia. It is an understorey species of subtropical and tropical rainforest on fertile soils. The natural range of distribution is from Forster, New South Wales to central Queensland. This plant features beautifully scented flowers.
Clerodendrum tomentosum, known as the downy chance, hairy lolly bush, hairy clairy or hairy clerodendrum is a shrub or small tree occurring in eastern and northern Australia. It is distributed from Batemans Bay in southern coastal New South Wales, to Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia, and New Guinea.
Coprosma quadrifida is a dioecious shrub of the family Rubiaceae native to southeastern Australia. First described as Canthium quadrifidum by Labillardiere, it was given its current name by B. L. Robinson in 1910. Typically found at damp sites within woodlands, Eucalyptus forests or cool-temperate rainforests, it prefers sheltered slopes or sites near water sources. They are able to withstand frost and are salt tolerant. The species is also known as the Prickly Currant Bush.
Clerodendrum floribundum, known as the lolly bush or smooth clerodendrum, is a shrub or tree found in Australia and New Guinea. Its habitat is in or at the margins of coastal rainforests, up to 300 metres above sea level. In Western Australia it grows in drier areas, such as rocky sites, gorges, cliffs, floodplains and creek beds.
Acalypha eremorum is a species of shrubs of the plant family Euphorbiaceae, endemic to Queensland, Australia. Commonly known as soft acalypha, turkey bush or native acalypha. The species grows as an open branched shrub to 2 m tall with small leaves with crenate margins. Plants may shed their leaves in response to prolonged drought. Branches often end in spines, especially on smaller plants. Small flowers are produced in spikes throughout the year and are followed by deeply lobed capsular fruit.
Myoporum montanum, commonly known as waterbush or boobialla, is a shrub native to Australia, New Guinea and Timor. The species is extremely variable in size growth habit and leaf form, with three primary forms recognised. Its occurrence in many places is restricted to coastal regions, watercourses and other locales with more reliable water supplies. It was this association with water that gave rise to the name water bush.
Olearia canescens is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a shrub with scattered elliptic or egg-shaped leaves, and white and yellow, daisy-like inflorescences.
Tabernaemontana pandacaqui, known as windmill bush and banana bush, is a species of plant in the dogbane family Apocynaceae.
Meiogyne cylindrocarpa, commonly known as fingersop or native apricot in Australia, is a small tree or shrub in the custard apple family Annonaceae, native to parts of tropical Asia and Australasia.
Halfordia is a genus of plants in the family Rutaceae containing the single species Halfordia kendack commonly known as kerosenewood, southern ghittoe or saffronheart, is a rainforest plant that is native to eastern Australia, New Guinea and New Caledonia. It is a shrub or tree with elliptical to egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, panicles of white, greenish white or yellowish flowers and purple to bluish black, spherical to oval fruit.
Pultenaea laxiflora, commonly known as loose-flower bush-pea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It is a low-lying to prostrate, spreading shrub with linear to narrow egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and yellow and red to brown or purple flowers.
Lasianthus chlorocarpus, commonly known as blue rubi, is a plant in the family Rubiaceae native to parts of Malesia, Papuasia and Australia. It is an evergreen shrub growing up to 2 m high in well developed rainforest.
Atractocarpus sessilis, commonly known as brown randia, is an evergreen shrub in the family Rubiaceae. It is native to both Queensland, Australia, and Papua New Guinea (PNG).
Wilkiea rigidifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Monimiaceae, and is native to north Queensland and New Guinea. It is a shrub or small tree with elliptic to broadly elliptic or oblong leaves and male and female flowers on separate plants. Male flowers are borne in clusters of 20 to 30 and have 4 pairs of tepals and 2 or 3 pairs of stamens and female flowers have 2 pairs of tepals and 40 to 50 carpels. The fruit is a glossy black drupe.
Larsenaikia ochreata, commonly known as Wenlock gardenia, scented Gardenia bush or wild Gardenia, is a plant in the coffee family Rubiaceae endemic to Queensland, Australia.