Elatostema reticulatum, commonly known as rainforest spinach, is a plant in the nettle family Urticaceae endemic to eastern areas of Queensland and New South Wales.[4][5][6] It is a course straggly herb growing to 50–100 cm (20–39 in) high, and may form dense mats on the forest floor.[4][5][6] It prefers wet shaded areas in rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest, and is often found in and beside streams as well as on wet rock faces.[4][5][6] The natural range of the plant is from near Batemans Bay in the south to the ranges and tablelands near Cairns in the north.[4][5][6][7]
| Rainforest spinach | |
|---|---|
| |
| Main Range National Park | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Urticaceae |
| Genus: | Elatostema |
| Species: | E. reticulatum
|
| Binomial name | |
| Elatostema reticulatum | |
| Synonyms[3] | |
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This species was first described in 1854 by the English-French botanist Hugh Algernon Weddell, who published his paper in the journal Annales des Sciences Naturelles.[2][6] The specific epithet reticulatum is a reference to the prominent reticulate venation of the leaves.[4]
Joan Cribb suggests the stems and young leaves are edible, and taste better than spinach.[8]
Gallery
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Habit -
Flowers -
Foliage and flowers
References
edit- ^ "Species profile—Elatostema reticulatum". Queensland Department of Environment and Science. Queensland Government. 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ a b "Elatostema reticulatum". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ a b "Elatostema reticulatum Wedd". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Chew, W.-L.; Kodela, P.G. (2022). Kodela, P.G. (ed.). "Elatostema reticulatum". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ a b c d "PlantNET - FloraOnline". PlantNET (The NSW Plant Information Network System). Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ a b c d e F.A.Zich; B.P.M.Hyland; T.Whiffen; R.A.Kerrigan (2020). "Elatostema reticulatum". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants Edition 8 (RFK8). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ "Search: species: Elatostema reticulatum | Occurrence records". Australasian Virtual Herbarium. Australian Government. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ Les Robinson - Field Guide to the Native Plants of Sydney, ISBN 978-0-7318-1211-0 page 381
External links
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Data related to Elatostema reticulatum at Wikispecies
Media related to Elatostema reticulatum at Wikimedia Commons- View a map of historical sightings of this species at the Australasian Virtual Herbarium
- View observations of this species on iNaturalist
- View images of this species on Flickriver
