Gmelina fasciculiflora
Encyclopedia
Gmelina fasciculiflora, known as the Northern White Beech is a tropical rainforest
tree in the mint
family. It is endemic to the state of Queensland
, in Australia
. It is one of five species of the genus Gmelina
found in Australia. The genus belongs to the family Lamiaceae
.
in his Flora Australiensis in 1870, from a collection by Dallachy. Its species name is derived from Latin
and means "flowers in clusters".
. Having pale twigs, similar shaped opposite leaves with a stem around 2 cm long. Leaves, however, are glossy and not nearly as hairy as the southern species. The leaves are 12 cm long and 7 wide. Flat glands may be seen at the base of the leaves as well as hairy domatia
on the underside of the leaves. Purple spotted cream coloured flowers appear from February to May on large panicle
s. These attractive flowers are around 2 cm long. They later form purple coloured fleshy fruit in the form of a flattened drupe
, 1 to 2 cm in diameter, ripening from September to January. As with the White Beech
, the fruit has a strong scent, and the aril
quickly turns brown when exposed to the air. Stains on clothing from the flesh of this fruit are difficult to remove.
Tropical rainforest
A tropical rainforest is an ecosystem type that occurs roughly within the latitudes 28 degrees north or south of the equator . This ecosystem experiences high average temperatures and a significant amount of rainfall...
tree in the mint
Lamiaceae
The mints, taxonomically known as Lamiaceae or Labiatae, are a family of flowering plants. They have traditionally been considered closely related to Verbenaceae, but in the 1990s, phylogenetic studies suggested that many genera classified in Verbenaceae belong instead in Lamiaceae...
family. It is endemic to 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...
, in Australia
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...
. It is one of five species of the genus Gmelina
Gmelina
Gmelina is a genus of plant in family Lamiaceae. It was named in honour of botanist Johann Georg Gmelin.Species include:* Gmelina arborea* Gmelina asiatica* Gmelina fasciculiflora - Northern White Beech, Australia...
found in Australia. The genus belongs to the family Lamiaceae
Lamiaceae
The mints, taxonomically known as Lamiaceae or Labiatae, are a family of flowering plants. They have traditionally been considered closely related to Verbenaceae, but in the 1990s, phylogenetic studies suggested that many genera classified in Verbenaceae belong instead in Lamiaceae...
.
Taxonomy
Gmelina fasciculiflora was first described by English botanist George BenthamGeorge Bentham
George Bentham CMG FRS was an English botanist, characterized by Duane Isely as "the premier systematic botanist of the nineteenth century".- Formative years :...
in his Flora Australiensis in 1870, from a collection by Dallachy. Its species name is derived from Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
and means "flowers in clusters".
Description
It shares characteristics with the more southerly White BeechGmelina leichhardtii
Gmelina leichhardtii, the White Beech is a rainforest tree of eastern Australia. Scattered individuals or small groups of trees naturally occur from the Illawarra district of New South Wales to near Proserpine in tropical Queensland...
. Having pale twigs, similar shaped opposite leaves with a stem around 2 cm long. Leaves, however, are glossy and not nearly as hairy as the southern species. The leaves are 12 cm long and 7 wide. Flat glands may be seen at the base of the leaves as well as hairy domatia
Domatia
Domatia are tiny chambers produced by plants that house arthropods.Domatia differ from galls in that they are produced by the plant rather than being induced by their inhabitants...
on the underside of the leaves. Purple spotted cream coloured flowers appear from February to May on large panicle
Panicle
A panicle is a compound raceme, a loose, much-branched indeterminate inflorescence with pedicellate flowers attached along the secondary branches; in other words, a branched cluster of flowers in which the branches are racemes....
s. These attractive flowers are around 2 cm long. They later form purple coloured fleshy fruit in the form of a flattened drupe
Drupe
In botany, a drupe is a fruit in which an outer fleshy part surrounds a shell of hardened endocarp with a seed inside. These fruits develop from a single carpel, and mostly from flowers with superior ovaries...
, 1 to 2 cm in diameter, ripening from September to January. As with the White Beech
Gmelina leichhardtii
Gmelina leichhardtii, the White Beech is a rainforest tree of eastern Australia. Scattered individuals or small groups of trees naturally occur from the Illawarra district of New South Wales to near Proserpine in tropical Queensland...
, the fruit has a strong scent, and the aril
Aril
An aril is any specialized outgrowth from the funiculus that covers or is attached to the seed. It is sometimes applied to any appendage or thickening of the seed coat in flowering plants, such as the edible parts of the mangosteen and pomegranate fruit, the mace of the nutmeg seed, or the...
quickly turns brown when exposed to the air. Stains on clothing from the flesh of this fruit are difficult to remove.