Lasjia

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Lasjia
LasjiagrandisRBG.JPG
L. grandis , planted in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Proteales
Family: Proteaceae
Subfamily: Grevilleoideae
Tribe: Macadamieae
Subtribe: Macadamiinae
Genus: Lasjia
P.H.Weston & A.R.Mast
Type species
Lasjia claudiensis
(C.L.Gross & B.Hyland) P.H.Weston & A.R.Mast [1]

Lasjia is a genus of five species of trees of the family Proteaceae. [1] [2] [3] Three species grow naturally in northeastern Queensland, Australia and two species in Sulawesi, Indonesia. [1] [4] [5] [6] Descriptively they are the tropical or northern macadamia trees group. [5] Lasjia species characteristically branched compound inflorescences differentiate them from the Macadamia species, of Australia, which have characteristically unbranched compound inflorescences and only grow naturally about 1,000 km (620 mi) further to the south, in southern and central eastern Queensland and in northeastern New South Wales. [5]

Contents

The Bama aboriginal Australian peoples in the late 1800s Bellenden Ker Range rainforests (north east Queensland) taught European–Australian scientists of L. whelanii trees bearing the large seeds "extensively used for food". [7] [8] One of those scientists, colonial botanist Frederick M. Bailey, collected and in 1889 formally published a scientific description of specimens of them under the name Helicia whelanii and later again in 1901 as a species of Macadamia. Of these five Lasjia species, it was the first to receive a European–Australian scientific name. [2] [7] [9]

Names and classification

Genetics studies published in 2008 by Austin Mast and colleagues show they have separated from the genus Macadamia , correlating less closely than previously thought from morphological studies. The ancestors of Lasjia appear to have diverged just under 30 million years ago in the Oligocene epoch from a lineage which has given rise to the Australian genus Macadamia, the South African species Brabejum stellatifolium , Australian rainforest species Nothorites megacarpus , and South American genus Panopsis . [1]

The genus name was coined from the initials of Lawrence Alexander Sidney Johnson (LASJ), who had done much pioneering work on the Proteaceae. The type species is Lasjia claudiensis. [1] [5] L. claudiensis and L. grandis were only formally scientifically described as recently as 1993 under the genus Macadamia, with botanists making field collections of scientific specimens only since about 1948. [5] [10] Genetics studies published in 2008 reported L. whelanii as the earliest offshoot within the genus. [1]

Species

Descriptions and natural distributions

All species grow naturally into trees, with whorled, simple adult leaves with smooth margins (unserrated, spineless) and bearing their flowers in branched compound inflorescences generally at the ends of the foliage or sometimes from older branches under the foliage. [1] [15] The fruits of L. claudiensis, L. grandis, L. hildebrandii, and L. whelanii have thin inner shells (testae) of about 1–2 mm (0.04–0.08 in) unlike the well-known macadamia nuts' thicker woody inner shells. [5] [6] [16]

L. claudiensis and L. grandis have significantly larger fruits and seeds; they have fruit diameters of 6.5 ± 1.5 cm (2.6 ± 0.6 in) and 5–7 cm (2.0–2.8 in), respectively, and seeds diameters of 5.5–6.5×5 cm long (2.2–2.6×2.0 in) and 3–4 cm (1.2–1.6 in), respectively. [5] [11] [12]

L. claudiensis is endemic to the Iron Range region of Cape York Peninsula, far north Queensland, in more seasonally dry rainforests and gallery forests, from about 0 to 600 m (0 to 1,969 ft) altitude. [5] [10] [11] [15] L. claudiensis has the Australian national conservation status listing of "vulnerable" in the Australian government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC), [17] and the Queensland official state conservation status of "vulnerable" species in the Queensland government Nature Conservation Act 1992. [18]

L. grandis grows naturally only in the rainforests of the Wet Tropics region of northeastern Queensland, from about 0 to 460 m (0 to 1,509 ft) altitude. [5] [10] [12] [15] L. grandis trees received their name for growing to the largest size of the macadamia group, [5] of up to about 40 m (130 ft), with trunks up to 120 cm (47 in) diameter, with some having buttresses. L. grandis has an official Queensland state conservation status of "vulnerable" species in the Queensland government Nature Conservation Act 1992. [18]

L. whelanii grows naturally only in the rainforests of the Wet Tropics region of northeastern Queensland, from about 0 to 700 m (0 to 2,297 ft) altitude. [10] [14] [15]

L. hilderbrandii and L. erecta are endemic to Sulawesi (Indonesia) and its smaller adjacent islands, and there's even less published knowledge of them. [4] [6] Up to the date of 1995, all populations of L. hilderbrandii were found below 450 m (1,480 ft) altitude, except one specimen collection. A collection beyond Sulawesi was made in west Sumatra, although whether its origin was natural and a significant extension of range or a recently introduced plant, was unconfirmed in 1995. [4] Up to 1995, all populations found of L. erecta were between 900 and 1,700 m (3,000 and 5,600 ft) altitude. [4] Therefore, as far as was known in 1995, the two species have separate habitats and geographic distributions (allopatric). [4] The two species clearly have a close evolutionary relationship with many characteristics in common, endemic to the Sulawesi region, the flower structures in whorls of racemes at the ends of uppermost branches and the whorled leaves with smooth margins. [4] The distinctive characteristics of L. erecta of short and erect flower structures and of smaller leaves in whorls of four compare to the characteristics of L. hildebrandii of flower structures longer and arching or pendulous and of larger leaves in whorls of five to seven. [4]

Uses for foods

Peoples of Sulawesi (Indonesia) make foods from the uncertain and inconclusively toxic or nontoxic seeds of L. hildebrandii, according to incomplete English language documentation. [4] [5] [6] [19]

Umpila and related peoples in the Iron Range region make use of L. claudiensis and Bama peoples of the Wet Tropics region also make use of L. grandis, apparently knowing them well for their uses and regarding their distributions, respectively. [8] Only in recent decades has English-language botanical science recognised, described, and published brief documentation about these two species, with more learning or field work required to record their full distributions and uses. [5] [11] [12] [17] The few documents available are the brief journal paper formally scientifically describing these two species, [5] the published archaeological work of Nicky Horsfall's journal papers and PhD and the reports of the 1889 Archibald Meston expedition; the latter two bodies of work were undertaken in the Bellenden Ker Range region. [8] [20]

Related Research Articles

<i>Macadamia</i> Genus of plants indigenous to Australia

Macadamia is a genus of four species of trees in the flowering plant family Proteaceae. They are indigenous to Australia, native to northeastern New South Wales and central and southeastern Queensland specifically. Two species of the genus are commercially important for their fruit, the macadamia nut. Global production in 2015 was 160,000 tonnes. Other names include Queensland nut, bush nut, maroochi nut, bauple nut and, in the US, they are also known as Hawaii nut. It was an important source of bushfood for the Aboriginal peoples.

<i>Buckinghamia</i> Genus of trees in the family Proteaceae endemic to north eastern Queensland, Australia

Buckinghamia is a genus of only two known species of trees, belonging to the plant family Proteaceae. They are endemic to the rainforests of the wet tropics region of north eastern Queensland, Australia. The ivory curl flower, B. celsissima, is the well known, popular and widely cultivated species in gardens and parks, in eastern and southern mainland Australia, and additionally as street trees north from about Brisbane. The second species, B. ferruginiflora, was only recently described in 1988.

<i>Lepiderema</i> Genus of trees

Lepiderema is a genus of nine species of trees from the family Sapindaceae. As of November 2013 botanists know of seven species growing naturally in Australia and two species in New Guinea. Published botanical science provides a limited knowledge of the full range of diversity in Australia and especially in New Guinea. In New Guinea the two known species have descriptions based each on only a single type specimen collection. Therefore, collection of more specimens and more species is most likely in New Guinea. In Australia they grow in rainforests of the northern half of the east coast side of the Great Dividing Range, from northeastern New South Wales through to northeastern Queensland.

<i>Eidothea zoexylocarya</i> Species of tree in the family Proteaceae

Eidothea zoexylocarya is a species of tall rainforest trees endemic to north-eastern Queensland, Australia and constituting part of the plant family Proteaceae. In European–Australian science, these trees were only recognised in recent decades, first from the slopes of Mount Bartle Frere, the Queensland mountain which reaches the highest altitude. In 1995, scientific descriptions of the trees, as this genus and type species, were published for the first time by Andrew W. Douglas and Bernie Hyland. The species name refers to the almost identical fossil fruit Xylocaryon lockiiF.Muell., from Ballarat, southern Australia, still extant in this north-eastern Australian species.

<i>Alloxylon wickhamii</i> Species of tree in the family Proteaceae endemic to Queensland

Alloxylon wickhamii is a rainforest tree to 30 m (98 ft) tall in the family Proteaceae. It is endemic to the Wet Tropics of Queensland.

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.

<i>Placospermum</i> Genus of trees

Placospermum is a genus of a single species of large trees, constituting part of the plant family Proteaceae. The species Placospermum coriaceum is endemic to the rainforests of the wet tropics region of northeastern Queensland, Australia. Common names include rose silky oak and plate-seeded oak.

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

Catalepidia is a monotypic genus in the family Proteaceae which is endemic to Queensland, Australia. The sole described species is Catalepidia heyana, commonly known as Hey's nut oak. It is a medium sized tree growing up to about 18 m (59 ft) tall, and is found only in upland rainforest above 600 m (2,000 ft) on granite soils, ranging from the Windsor Tableland to the Atherton Tableland.

Sphalmium is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the protea family. The only species, Sphalmium racemosum, is a large forest tree. Common names include satin silky oak, mystery oak, Mt Lewis oak, poorman's fishtail oak and buff silky oak.

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

Nothorites is a monotypic genus in the macadamia family Proteaceae. The sole species, Nothorites megacarpus, is endemic to the wet tropics rain forests of northeastern Queensland, Australia.

<i>Eucryphia wilkiei</i> Species of tree

Eucryphia wilkiei is a species of rainforest shrubs endemic to restricted areas of cloud forests on mountain tops in the Wet Tropics region of northeastern Queensland, Australia. As of November 2013, botanists classify Eucryphia in the family Cunoniaceae.

Helicia lamingtoniana, also named Lamington's silky oak, is a species of rainforest trees, of northeastern Queensland, Australia, from the flowering plant family Proteaceae.

Hollandaea sayeriana, sometimes named Sayer's silky oak, is a small species of Australian rainforest trees in the plant family Proteaceae.

Hollandaea riparia, sometimes named roaring Meg hollandaea, is a species of Australian rainforest tree, in the plant family Proteaceae.

Hollandaea diabolica is a species of Australian rainforest tree, constituting part of the plant family Proteaceae. It is endemic to restricted areas of the rainforests of the Wet Tropics region of northeastern Queensland.

Hollandaea porphyrocarpa is a species of small Australian rainforest tree in the plant family Proteaceae. It is endemic to restricted areas of the rainforests of the Wet Tropics region of northeastern Queensland.

<i>Citrus inodora</i> Species of tree

Citrus inodora or Microcitrus inodora, commonly known as Russell River lime or large leaf Australian wild lime, is a tree native to the Bellenden-Ker Range in northern Queensland, Australia.

<i>Lasjia claudiensis</i> Species of plant in the Proteaceae family

Lasjia claudiensis is a species of tree in the protea family that is endemic to the Cape York Peninsula of Far North Queensland in north-eastern Australia. It is listed as Vulnerable under Queensland's Nature Conservation Act 1992 as well as Australia's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

<i>Lasjia grandis</i> Species of plant in the Proteaceae family

Lasjia grandis, also known as the satin silky oak or Barong nut, is a species of forest tree in the protea family that is endemic to north-eastern Queensland, Australia. Its conservation status is considered to be Vulnerable under Queensland's Nature Conservation Act 1992.

<i>Lasjia whelanii</i> Species of plant in the family Proteaceae

Lasjia whelanii, also known as Whelan's silky oak, Whelan's nut oak or Whelan's macadamia, is a species of large forest tree in the protea family that is endemic to north-eastern Queensland, Australia.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Mast, Austin R.; Willis, Crystal L.; Jones, Eric H.; Downs, Katherine M.; Weston, Peter H. (July 2008). "A smaller Macadamia from a more vagile tribe: inference of phylogenetic relationships, divergence times, and diaspore evolution in Macadamia and relatives (tribe Macadamieae; Proteaceae)". American Journal of Botany. 95 (7): 843–870. doi:10.3732/ajb.0700006. ISSN   1537-2197. PMID   21632410.
  2. 1 2 "Lasjia%". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS) database (listing by % wildcard matching of all taxa relevant to Australia). Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 26 Apr 2013.
  3. ↑ F.A. Zich; Hyland, Bernie P. M.; T. Whiffen; R.A. Kerrigan (2020). "Proteaceae". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants, Edition 8. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 McDonald, J. A.; Ismail, R. (1995). "Macadamia erecta (Proteaceae), a new species from Sulawesi". Harvard Papers in Botany. 7 (7): 7–10. ISSN   1043-4534. JSTOR   41761991. (journal webpage)
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Gross, Caroline L.; Hyland, Bernie P. M. (1993). "Two New Species of Macadamia (Proteaceae) from North Queensland". Australian Systematic Botany. 6 (4): 343–350. doi:10.1071/sb9930343.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Sleumer (1955) Flora Malesiana. Digitised, online "Macadamia hildebrandii" . Retrieved 6 Apr 2013.
  7. 1 2 Bailey, Frederick M. (1889). "Botany of the Bellenden-Ker Expedition". In Meston, A. (ed.). Report of the Government scientific expedition to Bellenden-Ker range upon the flora and fauna of that part of the colony. Brisbane, Queensland: Department of Agriculture. James C. Beal, Government Printer. pp. (29–80), 55, 125 (also). Retrieved 17 Apr 2013.
  8. 1 2 3 Horsfall, Nicky; Hall, Jay (1990). "People and the rainforest: An archaeological perspective". In Webb, Len J.; Kikkawa, Jiro (eds.). Australian Tropical Rainforests: Science — Values — Meaning. East Melbourne, Vic: CSIRO. pp. 33–39. ISBN   978-0643050556.
  9. ↑ Dowe, John Leslie; Broughton, Alan D. (2007). "F.M. Bailey's ascent of Mt Bellenden-Ker in 1889, and notes on the publication priority of new vascular plant species from the expedition" (PDF). Austrobaileya. 7 (3): 555–566. ISSN   0155-4131. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 September 2009. Retrieved 16 Apr 2013.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Gross, Caroline L. (1995). "Macadamia". In McCarthy, Patrick (ed.). Flora of Australia: Volume 16: Eleagnaceae, Proteaceae 1 (online version). Flora of Australia series. CSIRO Publishing / Australian Biological Resources Study. pp. 419–425. ISBN   978-0-643-05692-3.
  11. 1 2 3 4 F.A. Zich; Hyland, Bernie P. M.; T. Whiffen; R.A. Kerrigan (2020). "Lasjia claudiensis". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants, Edition 8. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  12. 1 2 3 4 F.A. Zich; Hyland, Bernie P. M.; T. Whiffen; R.A. Kerrigan (2020). "Lasjia grandis". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants, Edition 8. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  13. ↑ Sleumer (1955) Flora Malesiana. Digitised, online "Macadamia hildebrandii illustration" . Retrieved 6 Apr 2013.
  14. 1 2 F.A. Zich; Hyland, Bernie P. M.; T. Whiffen; R.A. Kerrigan (2020). "Lasjia grandis". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants, Edition 8. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Cooper, Wendy; Cooper, William T. (June 2004). "Macadamia F.Muell.". Fruits of the Australian Tropical Rainforest. Clifton Hill, Victoria, Australia: Nokomis Editions. p. 416. ISBN   9780958174213 . Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  16. ↑ Wrigley, John; Fagg, Murray (1991). Banksias, Waratahs and Grevilleas. Sydney: Angus & Robertson. pp. 453–59. ISBN   978-0-207-17277-9.
  17. 1 2 Lasjia claudiensis, Species Profile and Threats Database, Department of the Environment and Heritage, Australia.Retrieved 14 Dec 2013
  18. 1 2 Queensland Government (27 Sep 2013). "Nature Conservation (Wildlife) Regulation 2006" (PDF). Nature Conservation Act 1992. Online, accessed from www.legislation.qld.gov.au. Australia. p. 52. Retrieved 28 Nov 2013.
  19. ↑ Hardner, Craig M.; Peace, Cameron; et al. (2009). "Genetic Resources and Domestication of Macadamia". In Janick, Jules (ed.). Horticultural Reviews . John Wiley & Sons, Inc. pp.  1–125. doi:10.1002/9780470593776.ch1. ISBN   9780470593776.
  20. ↑ Hill, Ro; Baird, Adelaide (2003). "Kuku-Yalanji rainforest Aboriginal people and carbohydrate resource management in the wet tropics of Queensland, Australia". Human Ecology. 31: 27–52. doi:10.1023/A:1022830123349. S2CID   152635891.

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