Peripentadenia mearsii, commonly known as the buff quandong or grey quandong, is a plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae endemic to a small part of northeastern Queensland, Australia. It is usually seen as a multistemmed tree, and the habitat is tropical rainforest.[2][4]
| Buff Quandong | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Oxalidales |
| Family: | Elaeocarpaceae |
| Genus: | Peripentadenia |
| Species: | P. mearsii
|
| Binomial name | |
| Peripentadenia mearsii | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Actephila mearsii C.T.White | |
Description
editPeripentadenia mearsii is a tree up to 20 m (66 ft) tall. The leaves are dark green above and paler below with toothed margins. They measure up to 14 cm (5.5 in) long by 5 cm (2.0 in) wide and are held on a petiole about 2 cm (0.79 in) long. The white flowers have 5 petals about 22 mm (0.87 in) long by 13 mm (0.51 in) wide, each with several lobes at their apices. The fruits are globose or ovoid capsules about 30 mm (1.2 in) long by 20 mm (0.79 in) wide, containing a single brown seed enclosed in a red aril.[4][5]
Phenology
editFlowering occurs in October, and the fruit ripen around December to March.[6]
Taxonomy
editThis species was first described (as Actephila mearsii) by the Australian botanist Cyril Tenison White in 1938, and published in 1939.[5] White's description was based on samples of fruit and leaves only,[4] and he placed the species in the family Euphorbiaceae. However in 1957 another Australian botanist – Lindsay Stuart Smith – erected the new genus Peripentadenia within the family Elaeocarpaceae to accommodate this plant. At the time, it was the only species in the genus.[2][7]
Etymology
editThe genus name Peripentadenia is constructed from the prefix 'peri-' (from Ancient Greek περί) meaning about or around; 'penta-' (from πέντε) meaning five; and 'adeno-' (from ἀδήν) meaning gland. it is a reference to the insertion of the stamens around five 'glands' in the flowers.
The species epithet mearsii is in honour Mrs J. E. Mears, who collected the first specimens of the plant in Millaa Millaa and brought them to the attention of the authors.[6]
Distribution and habitat
editThe buff quandong is restricted to the eastern and southern edges of the Atherton Tableland, southwest of Cairns. It mostly grows in mature rainforest, at altitudes from 100–1,400 m (330–4,590 ft).[4][8]
Ecology
editFruits of this species is eaten by cassowaries, musky rat-kangaroos, and king parrots.[6]
Gallery
edit-
Seedling -
X-ray of leaf -
Fruit
References
edit- ^ "Species profile—Peripentadenia mearsii". Queensland Department of Environment and Science. Queensland Government. 2024. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
- ^ a b c "Peripentadenia mearsii". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
- ^ "Peripentadenia mearsii (C.T.White) L.S.Sm". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2024. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
- ^ a b c d F.A.Zich; B.P.M.Hyland; T.Whiffen; R.A.Kerrigan (2020). "Peripentadenia mearsii". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants Edition 8 (RFK8). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
- ^ a b White, C.T. (1939). "Contributions to the Queensland Flora, No. 6". The Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland. 50: 85. doi:10.5962/p.351649.
- ^ a b c Cooper, Wendy; Cooper, William T. (June 2004). Fruits of the Australian Tropical Rainforest. Clifton Hill, Victoria, Australia: Nokomis Editions. p. 163. ISBN 978-0-9581742-1-3.
- ^ "Peripentadenia". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
- ^ "Search: species: Peripentadenia mearsii | Occurrence records". Australasian Virtual Herbarium. Australian Government. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
External links
edit
- View a map of herbarium collections of this species at the Australasian Virtual Herbarium
- View observations of this species on iNaturalist
- See images of this species on Flickriver.com