| Trochocarpa gunnii | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Ericaceae |
| Genus: | Trochocarpa |
| Species: | T. gunnii |
| Binomial name | |
| Trochocarpa gunnii | |
Trochocarpa gunnii, commonly known as sweet-scented trochocarpa or fragrant purpleberry, is a common rainforest understorey shrub from the plant family Ericaceae (formerly Epacridaceae) endemic to Tasmania.
Trochocarpa gunnii is a densely branched understorey shrub, usually growing to 2-4m tall [1] [2] and spreading with twisting branches. [3] Leaves grow alternately along the branches, arranged so that the shoot appears flattened. [4] The leaves are small (6-10mm long) and oval-elliptical to oblong shaped, with a dark green adaxial (upper) surface and a lighter green abaxial (lower) surface. [1] Leaves have 5-7 parallel veins running along the abaxial surface. T. gunnii has small, white, pink or red flowers, and is the only species in this genus with a glabrous corolla. [4] The flowers are sweetly scented and arranged in short spikes near the ends of branches or in the axils of leaves of the previous year's shoots. [2] [3] Flowers can be seen in the summer months of December to March. The fruits of T. gunnii are small purple/blue, sometimes orange, globular drupes, 6-8mm in diameter. [3] The seeds are dispersed by birds.
This species can be confused with Trochocarpa cunninghamii, which is a low growing, scrambling shrub with red flowers, and is more commonly found at high altitudes. [4] The rainforest Archeria species ( A. eriocarpa and A. hirtella ) [5] also have similar foliage to T. gunnii, however these species only have one vein on the underside of the leaf.
Trochocarpa gunnii is endemic to Tasmania and is found in rainforests and sub-alpine areas of the North West, West and South of the state. [3] [6] It is sometimes found near quartzite outcrops, and grows well in moist, rocky, well-drained soil in sheltered areas. [3] It is present in thamnic rainforests, which have a well-developed shrub layer and may include native laurel, native plum and horizontal. [7] Locations that T. gunnii occur in include South West of Lake St. Clair, Hampshire Hills, [2] Mt Field, [1] and many more. [6]
Trochocarpa: Greek trochos means wheel, and carpos means fruit. [8] Gunnii is named after Ronald Campbell Gunn of Launceston [9] (1808-1881) who was a botanist, public servant and politician. [10] This species' common names are sweet-scented trochocarpa and fragrant purpleberry, due to the sweet odour of its flowers and its purple berries.
The closest relatives of Trochocarpa gunnii appear to be Monotoca scoparia and Montitega dealbata , [11] both of which occur in Tasmania. [6] M. scoparia is endemic to Australia [12] and is found in many parts of the South East of the country, while M. dealbata is endemic to Tasmania, [13] as T. gunnii is. However, this phylogenetic tree is debated at the genus level and is inconclusive at this specificity.
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.
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.
Richea pandanifolia, the pandani or giant grass tree, is a distinctive endemic Tasmanian angiosperm. It is dicot of the family Ericaceae and is found in central, western and south west Tasmania. It is a favourite among hikers and nature lovers.
Pittosporum bicolor, commonly known as cheesewood or banyalla, is a flowering shrub or small tree of the family Pittosporaceae, and is native to south eastern Australia.
Archeria comberi, also known as the pink mountain heath or comb heath, is a small, rare shrub endemic to Tasmania, Australia. As a member of the heath family, Ericaceae, this species is generally classified as a subalpine/ alpine species and shares many characteristics with other members of the family. It is an evergreen shrub 0.15m-1m in height, with pink flowers during the summer months, hence its common name pink mountain heath. Archeria comberi is often found growing among other species such as Nothofagus gunnii and Persoonia gunnii.
Archeria serpyllifolia is a dense, compact, low growing shrub, that is endemic to Tasmania, Australia, inhabiting the undisturbed alpine areas of southern and south-west Tasmania. This plant is commonly referred to by Australasian naturalists as thyme archeria.
Persoonia muelleri, commonly known as Mueller’s geebung, is a shrub endemic to Tasmania. It forms a shrub in open areas of wet forests in the west and northeast of the state. It is occasionally confused with P. gunnii though it has larger flowers and longer, straighter leaves.
Cyathodes glauca, the purple cheeseberry, is a woody shrub or small tree common in Tasmania, Australia. It belongs to the 'heath' family, Ericaceae. 'Heath' refers to open, shrub-like communities which survive on well-drained and poor quality soils.
Monotoca scoparia, commonly known as prickly broom heath, is a widespread native species across south-eastern Australia. Monotoca scoparia was formerly in the family Epacridaceae but now belongs to the family Ericaceae. Monotoca is an endemic Australian genus with 17 described species occurring in all states.
Prionotes is a genus of flowering plants endemic to Tasmania, with a single species, Prionotes cerinthoides. Commonly known as climbing heath, it is a temperate rainforest climber or a small scrambling shrub in the mountains. It usually lives in very wet, undisturbed places.
Richea gunnii, the bog candleheath or Gunns richea, is an endemic Tasmanian angiosperm. It is a dicot of the family Ericaceae and is found in Central, Western and North-east Tasmania.
Trochocarpa thymifolia is a species of flowering plant from the family Ericacae and is endemic to Tasmania. It is a widespread alpine and subalpine shrub with small leaves, pink to red flowers and blue to purple fruit. Originally described by botanist Robert Brown in 1810, it is a widespread Tasmanian endemic that inhabits the state's mountain regions.
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.
Monotoca glauca, known as goldy wood, is a heath family shrub endemic to Tasmania, Australia and is one of 17 described Monotoca species. It is a widespread and abundant understory species found on the margins of wet eucalypt forests and logged areas.
Aristotelia peduncularis, also known as heartberry, is a shrub in the family Elaeocarpaceae, endemic to the wet forests of Tasmania.
Trochocarpa cunninghamii is a flowering plant species of the family Ericaceae. It is commonly referred to as straggling purpleberry due to its round flattened mauve drupe fruits. This woody shrub is usually found in the understorey of rainforests and subalpine forests in the Central Plateau and western Tasmania, and is endemic to Tasmania.
Ewartia meredithiae, commonly known as the rusty cushion plant, is a Tasmanian endemic cushion plant species. Out of the four species in Australia from this small genus, Tasmania has three, all of which are low growing, alpine species.
Leptecophylla parvifolia, commonly known as the mountain pinkberry, is a small to medium sized species of shrub in the family Ericaceae that is endemic to the highlands of Tasmania. This species was first collected and documented in 1804 by Robert Brown and was formerly included in the Cythodes genus. It was then as noted as subspecies of Leptecophylla junipernia but in 2018, was classified as its own species
Leptecophylla oxycedrus, commonly referred to as coastal pinkberry or crimson berry, is a medium shrub to large tree native to Tasmania and southern Victoria. It is part of the family Ericaceae and has narrow, pointed leaves, white flowers and pale pink fruits. It was previously classified as a subspecies of Leptecophylla juniperina but has since been raised to the specific level in 2017. The species was originally described in 1805 by Jacques Labillardière in Novae Hollandiae plantarum specimen which was published after his voyage through Oceania.
Richea alpina, known as short candleheath, is a species of heath endemic to Tasmania, occurring in the mountains of the southwest. It is morphologically similar to the hybrid species Richea curtisiae which usually occurs after disturbance in the west and central mountains.
