Tasmannia vickeryana, commonly known as Baw Baw pepper,[2] is a species of flowering plant in the family Winteraceae and is endemic to Victoria in Australia. It has narrowly lance-shaped leaves, sometimes with the narrower end towards the base, and male and female flowers on separate plants, the male flowers with 8 to 26 stamens and the female flowers with up to 5 carpels. The fruit is dark red and contains 2 to 5 seeds.
| Tasmannia vickeryana | |
|---|---|
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| Male flowers on Mount St Gwinear | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Magnoliids |
| Order: | Canellales |
| Family: | Winteraceae |
| Genus: | Tasmannia |
| Species: | T. vickeryana
|
| Binomial name | |
| Tasmannia vickeryana | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
Description
editTasmannia vickeryana is a shrub that typically grows to a height of 0.5–1.2 m (1 ft 8 in – 3 ft 11 in) and has reddish-brown branchlets. Its leaves are lance-shaped, sometimes with the narrower end towards the base, 8–20 mm (0.31–0.79 in) long and 2–6 mm (0.079–0.236 in) wide, on a petiole 1.5–3.5 mm (0.059–0.138 in) long. Male and female flowers are borne on separate plants and usually have 2 egg-shaped to oblong petals 2.5–3.0 mm (0.098–0.118 in) long and about 1 mm (0.039 in) wide. Male flowers are borne on a pedicel 3–8 mm (0.12–0.31 in) long and have 8 to 26 stamens, and female flowers are on a pedicel 3–6 mm (0.12–0.24 in) long with up to 6 carpels with 3 to 6 ovules. Flowering occurs in December and January and the fruit is a spherical to oval, dark red berry 6–12 mm (0.24–0.47 in) long with 2 to 5 seeds 2.3–3.0 mm (0.091–0.118 in) long.[2][3][4]
Taxonomy
editThis species was first described in 1943 by Albert Charles Smith who gave it the name Drimys vickeryana in the Journal of the Arnold Arboretum.[5][6] In 1969, Smith transferred the species to Tasmannia as T. vickeryana in the journal Taxon.[7]
Distribution and habitat
editBaw Baw pepper grows in snow gum woodland in the Baw Baw Range at altitudes between 1,300 and 1,500 m (4,300 and 4,900 ft).[2][3]
References
edit- ^ a b "Tasmannia vickeryana". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
- ^ a b c Raleigh, Ruth E.; Entwisle, Timothy J. "Tasmannia vickeryana". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
- ^ a b Guymer, Gordon P. Kodela, Phillip G. (ed.). "Tasmannia vickeryana". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
- ^ Raleigh, Ruth A.; Ladiges, Pauline Y.; Entwisle, Timothy J.; Drinnan, Andrew N. (1994). "Morphometric studies in the genus Tasmannia (Winteraceae) in Victoria, Australia". Muelleria. 8 (2): 255. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
- ^ "Drimys vickeryana". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). Retrieved 16 May 2024.
- ^ Smith, Albert Charles (1943). "Taxonomic notes on the old World species of Winteraceae". Journal of the Arnold Arboretum. 24 (2): 130–131. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
- ^ "Drimys vickeryana". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI. Retrieved 19 May 2024.