Syzygium apodophyllum

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Syzygium apodophyllum
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Syzygium
Species:
S. apodophyllum
Binomial name
Syzygium apodophyllum
Synonyms [1]

Eugenia apodophylla F.Muell.

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.

Contents

Description

The tree grows some 1 to 6m tall, sometimes up to 20m. [2] [3] The trunk is rarely more than 30 cm dbh, the bark is pale brown. [2] Branches tend to be of a weeping habit. Leaves have short petioles, some 0.1–02 cm in length, the twigs with leaves have 4 wings, with pairs of wings fused above each pair of leaves, forming a pocket. These wings often obscure the petiole so that leaves appear sessile. The leaf blades are some 3.6-8 by 1.4–3 cm in size. The midrib is depressed on the adaxial/upper surface. The fruit, which are the typically red/pink Syzygium fruit with a watery but crunchy flesh surrounding a solitary large seed, are some 13 by 9mm in size, and either hang solitary in bunches, either axillary or terminally. Seed is up to 9mm in size. Fruiting occurs from March to September.

The wood has a specific gravity of 0.80gcm3.

Phylogeny

This species is most closely related to Syzygium corynanthum , nestled in a slightly larger clade with Syzygium canicortex . [4]

Distribution

The tree is endemic to Queensland, Australia, growing only in the Cape York Peninsula and Northeast (north of Townsville and south of Princess Charlotte Bay areas, [2] from Tully to the McIlwraith Range.

Habitat, ecology

This species grows as an understory in well-developed rainforest, in a variety of sites, but tends to more abundant in mountain rainforest, altitudinal range is from near sea level to some 1500m. [2]

The plant is one of the hosts of the exotic plant pathogen Austropuccinia psidii . This species is relatively tolerant of the fungus, but other taxa are severely impacted. [5]

Vernacular names

The species is known as rex satinash in Australian English. [2]

Uses

This plant is generally a small and not well-developed tree (i.e. it is not that straight in its growth, nor producing long sections). It is regarded as of no commercial value. [2] The fruit is edible. [3]

History

The eminent Australian Myrtaceae botanist, Bernard Hyland (born 1937), described the species in his 1983 article, A revision of Syzygium and allied genera (Myrtaceae) in Australia in the Australian Journal of Botany. [6]

Further reading

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Myrtaceae</span> Myrtle family of plants

Myrtaceae, the myrtle family, is a family of dicotyledonous plants placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, pōhutukawa, bay rum tree, clove, guava, acca (feijoa), allspice, and eucalyptus are some notable members of this group. All species are woody, contain essential oils, and have flower parts in multiples of four or five. The leaves are evergreen, alternate to mostly opposite, simple, and usually entire. The flowers have a base number of five petals, though in several genera, the petals are minute or absent. The stamens are usually very conspicuous, brightly coloured, and numerous.

<i>Syzygium</i> Genus of plants

Syzygium is a genus of flowering plants that belongs to the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. The genus comprises about 1200 species, and has a native range that extends from Africa and Madagascar through southern Asia east through the Pacific. Its highest levels of diversity occur from Malaysia to northeastern Australia, where many species are very poorly known and many more have not been described taxonomically. One indication of this diversity is in leaf size, ranging from as little as a half inch to as great as 4 ft 11 inches by sixteen inches in Syzygium acre of New Caledonia.

<i>Syzygium smithii</i> Species of tree

Syzygium smithii is a summer-flowering, winter-fruiting evergreen tree, native to Australia and belonging to the myrtle family Myrtaceae. It shares the common name "lilly pilly" with several other plants.It is planted as shrubs or hedgerows, and features: rough, woody bark; cream and green smooth, waxy leaves; flushes of pink new growth; and white to maroon edible berries. Unpruned, it will grow about 3–5 m (9.8–16.4 ft) tall in the garden.

<i>Syzygium paniculatum</i> Species of tree

Syzygium paniculatum, the magenta lilly pilly or magenta cherry, is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, native to New South Wales, Australia. A broad dense bushy rainforest tree, in cultivation it grows to a height of 15 m (49 ft) with a trunk diameter up to 35 cm (14 in). The largest known example is at Ourimbah Creek, 35 m (115 ft) metres tall. The leaves are 3–9 cm (1.2–3.5 in) long, opposite, simple and slightly obovate, tapering at the leaf base. They are dark glossy green above, and paler below. White flowers are produced in clusters. The edible fruit is usually magenta, but can be white, pink or purple. The seeds are polyembryonic.

<i>Syzygium floribundum</i> Species of tree

Syzygium floribundum, synonym Waterhousea floribunda, is a rainforest tree of eastern Australia. It grows along streams from the Williams River near Dungog to Mackay in central eastern Queensland. Known as the weeping lilli pilli, this tree is widely planted as an ornamental. Planted trees from 1827 may be seen at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney. However, these trees are damaged and threatened by the roosting grey headed flying foxes. A very large tree is located at Western Park in Auckland, New Zealand.

<i>Elaeocarpus bancroftii</i> Species tree in the family Elaeocarpaceae endemic to Queensland, Australia

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.

<i>Syzygium ingens</i> Species of tree

Syzygium ingens, commonly known as red apple, is a species of flowering plant that is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a medium-sized to tall rainforest tree with narrow elliptic to oblong leaves and panicles of white flowers on the ends of branchlets, followed by spherical red berries.

<i>Syzygium hemilamprum</i> Species of tree

Syzygium hemilamprum, commonly known as the broad-leaved lilly pilly, blush satinash, cassowary gum, Eungella gum, and treated as Acmena hemilampra in New South Wales and Queensland, is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is native to New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory. It is a rainforest tree with broadly lance-shaped to elliptic leaves, panicles of white flowers and more or less spherical white fruit.

<i>Atractocarpus fitzalanii</i> Species of plant in the family Rubiaceae

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.

<i>Syzygium cormiflorum</i> Species of tree in the family Myrtaceae endemic to Queensland

Syzygium cormiflorum, commonly known as the bumpy satinash, is a species of Syzygium tree endemic to Queensland in northeastern Australia.

<i>Buckinghamia celsissima</i> Species of plant in the family Proteaceae

Buckinghamia celsissima, commonly known as the ivory curl tree, ivory curl flower or spotted silky oak, is a species of tree in the family Proteaceae. It is endemic to the tropical rainforests of northeastern Queensland, Australia.

<i>Syzygium alliiligneum</i> Species of plant in the family Myrtaceae

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.

<i>Syzygium angophoroides</i> Species of tree

Syzygium angophoroides, commonly known as bark in wood, Yarrabah satinash, or swamp satinash, is a tree of the family Myrtaceae native to Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland in Australia. It typically grows to a height of 6 to 35 metres. It blooms between July and November producing cream flowers.

<i>Syzygium forte</i> Species of plant in the family Myrtaceae

Syzygium forte, commonly known as flaky-barked satinash, white apple or brown satinash, is a tree in the family Myrtaceae native to New Guinea and northern Australia.

<i>Palaquium galactoxylum</i> Species of tree in the family Sapotaceae

Palaquium galactoxylum, commonly known as Cairns pencil cedar, Daintree maple or red silkwood, is a species of plants in the star apple family Sapotaceae which is endemic to rainforests of New Guinea and northern Australia. It can produce spectacularly large buttress roots.

<i>Syzygium claviflorum</i> Species of shrub in the Myrtaceae family from Northern Australia and Tropical and Subtropical Asia

Syzygium claviflorum is a tree in the Myrtaceae family. It is native to the north of the Australian continent and in tropical and subtropical Asia. It is used for timber, as fuel, as human and cattle food, and for dye. Stunted specimens can be found on the top of the plateau of Bokor National Park, Cambodia.

<i>Syzygium unipunctatum</i> Species of plant in the family Myrtaceae

Syzygium unipunctatum, commonly known as the rolypoly satinash, is a small tree in the family Myrtaceae. It is endemic to the rainforests of the Wet Tropics of Queensland.

<i>Syzygium tierneyanum</i> Species of plant in the family Myrtaceae

Syzygium tierneyanum, commonly known as river cherry, water cherry, or Bamaga satinash, is a tree in the family Myrtaceae which is native to New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and north east Queensland. It often grows along watercourses where it is a facultative rheophyte.

<i>Syzygium sayeri</i> Species of plant in the family Myrtaceae

Syzygium sayeri, commonly known as pink satinash, is a plant in the family Myrtaceae which is native to northeastern Queensland, Australia, and New Guinea.

<i>Syzygium puberulum</i> Species of plant in the family Myrtaceae

Syzygium puberulum, commonly known as white satinash or downy satinash, is a plant in the family Myrtaceae which is native to rainforests of Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, and Papua New Guinea. It was first described in 1942.

References

  1. "Syzygium apodophyllum (F.Muell.) B.Hyland". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 F.A.Zich; B.P.M.Hyland; T.Whiffen; R.A.Kerrigan (2020). "Syzygium apodophyllum". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants Edition 8 (RFK8). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government . Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  3. 1 2 Cooper, Wendy; Cooper, William T. (1994). Fruits of the Rain Forest: A guide to fruits in Australian tropical rain forests. Surry Hills, NSW: RD Press. pp. 268–9. ISBN   0864387784.
  4. Biffin, E.; with four others (2007). "Structural partitioning, paired-sites models and evolution of the ITS transcript in Syzygium and Myrtaceae" (PDF). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 43: 124–139. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  5. Pegg, Geoff; Carnegie, Angus; Giblin, Fiona; Perry, Suzy (2018). Final Report: Managing myrtle rust in Australia: CRC2063. Bruce, ACT: Plant Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre.
  6. "Syzygium apodophyllum (F.Muell.) B.Hyland, Austral. J. Bot. Suppl. 9: 49 (1983): (1983)". International Plant Name Index (IPNI). The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 25 February 2021.