Elaeocarpus culminicola

Elaeocarpus culminicola, commonly known as Michael's quandong,[4] is a species of flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae and is native to parts of Malesia and Australasia. It is a tree with wavy leaves with wavy or toothed edges, racemes of white, cream-coloured or pink flowers and more or less spherical fruit.

Michael's quandong
Elaeocarpus culminicola flowering
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Oxalidales
Family: Elaeocarpaceae
Genus: Elaeocarpus
Species:
E. culminicola
Binomial name
Elaeocarpus culminicola
Synonyms[3]
  • Elaeocarpus longipetiolatus C.T.White
  • Elaeocarpus michaelii C.T.White
  • Elaeocarpus patens Knuth
  • Elaeocarpus populneoides Knuth
  • Elaeocarpus populneus Schltr.
  • Elaeocarpus rugulosus Knuth
  • Elaeocarpus sogerensis Baker f.
  • Elaeocarpus viscosus Warb.

Description

Elaeocarpus culmanicola is an evergreen tree to 25 m (82 ft) with a trunk diameter to 25 cm (9.8 in). The leaves are glossy dark green, narrow elliptic to lance-shaped or egg-shaped, 67–137 mm (2.6–5.4 in) long and 24–37 mm (0.94–1.46 in) wide on a petiole 13–40 mm (0.51–1.57 in) long. The leaves have wavy or toothed edges and are arranged spirally around, and crowded towards the end of the branches. The flowers are arranged in racemes up to about 40 mm (1.6 in) long and attached to the twig behind or below the leaves, each flower on a pedicel up to 10 mm (0.39 in) long. The fragrance from the flowers is strong but not particularly pleasant. The five sepals are 6.8–9 mm (0.27–0.35 in) long and the five petals are white to cream-coloured or pink, 7.5–10 mm (0.30–0.39 in) long and 2–4.6 mm (0.079–0.181 in) wide with about twenty-six lobes at the tip. There are about twenty-five to forty stamens. Flowering occurs in late winter and is normally profuse. The bright blue fruit is a more or less spherical or elliptic drupe about 13–15 mm (0.51–0.59 in) long and 12 mm (0.47 in) wide, appear in late spring and may stay on the branch until the next flowering.[4][5][6][7][8][9]

Taxonomy

Elaeocarpus culminicola was first formally described in 1892 by Otto Warburg in Botanische Jahrbücher für Systematik, Pflanzengeschichte und Pflanzengeographie from specimens collected in the Finisterre Range in 1888.[10][11] The specific epithet (culminicola) means "peak dweller".[12]

Range and habitat

Michael's quandong is native to the Philippines, Sulawesi, Maluku Islands, New Guinea, Bismarck Archipelago, the Northern Territory and Queensland, where it is an understorey tree in well developed rainforest. It is often associated with wet or swampy conditions.[4][9][13]

Ecology

The fruits of E. culminicola are eaten by cassowaries.[8]

Uses

The timber is a commercial hardwood.[6]

References

  1. Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI).; IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group (2018). "Elaeocarpus culminicola". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T135895736A135895738. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T135895736A135895738.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. "Elaeocarpus culminicola". International Plant Names Index. Retrieved 2020-09-19.
  3. "Elaeocarpus culminicola Warb". The Plant List. Retrieved 2020-09-19.
  4. F.A. Zich; B.P.M Hyland; T. Whiffen; R.A. Kerrigan (2020). "Elaeocarpus culminicola". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants, Edition 8. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  5. Jones, David L. (1986). Rainforest Plants of Australia. Reed Books. p. 141. ISBN 0730103811.
  6. "PNGTreesKey - Elaeocarpus culminicola Warb". Guide to the Trees of Papua New Guinea. Retrieved 2020-09-19.
  7. "Growing Native Plants - Australian National Botanic Gardens". Retrieved 2020-09-19.
  8. Cooper, William; Cooper, Wendy (1994). Fruits of the Rainforest - A Guide to Fruits in Australian Tropical Rain Forests. GEO Productions. p. 106. ISBN 0646198033.
  9. "Elaeocarpus culminicola". Northern Territory Government. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  10. "Elaeocarpus culminicola". APNI. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  11. Warburg, Otto (1892). "Elaeocarpaceae". Botanische Jahrbücher für Systematik, Pflanzengeschichte und Pflanzengeographie. 16: 23. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  12. "Pinus culminicola". American Conifer Society. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  13. "Elaeocarpus culminicola Warb., Plants of the World Online, Kew Science". Retrieved 2020-09-19.
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