Baloghia marmorata
Encyclopedia
Baloghia marmorata is a rare rainforest plant of eastern Australia
. Known as the Marbled Baloghia.
, such as Victoria Park Nature Reserve
and Davis Scrub Nature Reserve
, and as far north as Gympie
in the state of Queensland
. The habitat is sub tropical rainforest at low altitude on red brown basaltic soils, with a high rainfall.
Leaves are alternate on the stem, not toothed. Lanceolate to reverse ovate in shape, glossy green. 8 to 15 cm long, 2 to 5 cm wide. A pair of glands occurs on the edge of the leaf, about 5 mm from where the stalk joins the leaf. Leaf stalks 2 to 4 cm long, with a grooved channel on the upper side.
Creamy flowers occur in the months of July to September. Male and female flowers form on separate raceme
s. The fruit matures from August to October, being a fawn capsule around 2 cm in diameter. Three or four celled with a single round seed about 1.5 cm long. It is coloured dark red with cream spots, giving a marbled appearance. Regeneration from seed is not well known, however, cuttings strike well.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Known as the Marbled Baloghia.
Distribution
Occurring in a few places in the Big ScrubBig Scrub
The Big Scrub was the largest area of subtropical lowland rainforest in eastern Australia. It was intensively cleared for agricultural use in the 19th century by colonists...
, such as Victoria Park Nature Reserve
Victoria Park Nature Reserve
Victoria Park Nature Reserve is a 17.5 hectare sub tropical jungle remnant of the Big Scrub. Situated on an undulating high rainfall plain near Alstonville, New South Wales. The red-brown soil is derived from a basaltic flow from the nearby Mount Warning. 8 hectares of the reserve is original...
and Davis Scrub Nature Reserve
Davis Scrub Nature Reserve
Davis Scrub Nature Reserve is a 13 hectare sub tropical jungle remnant of the Big Scrub. Situated at 170 metres above sea level on an undulating high rainfall plain near Alstonville, New South Wales, Australia....
, and as far north as Gympie
Gympie
Gympie may refer to:* Gympie, a city in Queensland, Australia** Gympie Airport** Electoral district of Gympie** Gympie Region, its local government authority* Gympie Gympie , a stinging plant...
in the state of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
. The habitat is sub tropical rainforest at low altitude on red brown basaltic soils, with a high rainfall.
Description
A small tree reaching 8 metres in height and a trunk diameter of 8 cm. The trunk is usually straight with fairly smooth bark, creamy and green with some brown vertical streaks. Small branches are smooth and slender, green near the leaves.Leaves are alternate on the stem, not toothed. Lanceolate to reverse ovate in shape, glossy green. 8 to 15 cm long, 2 to 5 cm wide. A pair of glands occurs on the edge of the leaf, about 5 mm from where the stalk joins the leaf. Leaf stalks 2 to 4 cm long, with a grooved channel on the upper side.
Creamy flowers occur in the months of July to September. Male and female flowers form on separate raceme
Raceme
A raceme is a type of inflorescence that is unbranched and indeterminate and bears pedicellate flowers — flowers having short floral stalks called pedicels — along the axis. In botany, axis means a shoot, in this case one bearing the flowers. In a raceme, the oldest flowers are borne...
s. The fruit matures from August to October, being a fawn capsule around 2 cm in diameter. Three or four celled with a single round seed about 1.5 cm long. It is coloured dark red with cream spots, giving a marbled appearance. Regeneration from seed is not well known, however, cuttings strike well.