Xanthostemon chrysanthus
Encyclopedia
Xanthostemon chrysanthus, commonly known as the Golden Penda, is a species of plant
in the Myrtaceae
family. Endemic to North Queensland
, it is a popular garden plant with showy yellow blooms.
The golden penda was first described in 1864 by Victorian Government Botanist Ferdinand von Mueller
as Metrosideros chrysantha, after being collected by John Dallachy on 12 April 1864 from Rockingham Bay in northern Queensland. It was reclassified in the genus Xanthostemon
by George Bentham
in the third volume of his Flora Australiensis
in 1867. The species name is derived from the Ancient Greek
words chrysos "golden", and "anthos" "flower".
Growing as a tree to 10 or 15 m (35–50 ft) high and 5–8 m (15–25 ft) wide in the wild, it is generally much more compact in home gardens. The bark is rough and the habit bushy, the shiny green elliptic leaves measuring 7–22 cm long by 2–9.5 cm wide. They are arranged in whorls along the stems. The flowerheads, or raceme
s, are terminal or axillary and measure up to 15 cm (6 in) in diameter. They are made up of numerous small (1–2 cm diameter) individual golden flowers. Flowering is followed by small (1-1,5 cm) green or brown woody capsules which are ripe between August and February. Flowers can appear at any time of year.
The range is from Cardwell northwards into Cape York in Far North Queensland. It grows in open forest or rainforest
, often along the banks or creeks and rivers.
Golden penda can be propagated by seed or cuttings. It grows well in subtropical gardens with fair drainage and sunny aspect. Its horticultural appeal stems from its profuse and attractive flowering. The species is less reliable in flowering in climates such as Sydney and cooler.
Plant
Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
in the Myrtaceae
Myrtaceae
The Myrtaceae or Myrtle family are a family of dicotyledon plants, placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, clove, guava, feijoa, allspice, and eucalyptus belong here. All species are woody, with essential oils, and flower parts in multiples of four or five...
family. Endemic to North 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...
, it is a popular garden plant with showy yellow blooms.
The golden penda was first described in 1864 by Victorian Government Botanist Ferdinand von Mueller
Ferdinand von Mueller
Baron Sir Ferdinand Jacob Heinrich von Mueller, KCMG was a German-Australian physician, geographer, and most notably, a botanist.-Early life:...
as Metrosideros chrysantha, after being collected by John Dallachy on 12 April 1864 from Rockingham Bay in northern Queensland. It was reclassified in the genus Xanthostemon
Xanthostemon
Xanthostemon is a genus of plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae. It contains 45 species and has a wide distribution including the Philippines, New Guinea, Australia, Indonesia and New Caledonia.Species include:* Xanthostemon chrysanthus Golden Penda...
by George Bentham
George 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 the third volume of his Flora Australiensis
Flora Australiensis
Flora Australiensis: a description of the plants of the Australian Territory, more commonly referred to as Flora Australiensis, and also known by its standard abbreviation Fl. Austral., is a seven-volume flora of Australia published between 1863 and 1878 by George Bentham, with the assistance of...
in 1867. The species name is derived from the Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
words chrysos "golden", and "anthos" "flower".
Growing as a tree to 10 or 15 m (35–50 ft) high and 5–8 m (15–25 ft) wide in the wild, it is generally much more compact in home gardens. The bark is rough and the habit bushy, the shiny green elliptic leaves measuring 7–22 cm long by 2–9.5 cm wide. They are arranged in whorls along the stems. The flowerheads, or 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, are terminal or axillary and measure up to 15 cm (6 in) in diameter. They are made up of numerous small (1–2 cm diameter) individual golden flowers. Flowering is followed by small (1-1,5 cm) green or brown woody capsules which are ripe between August and February. Flowers can appear at any time of year.
The range is from Cardwell northwards into Cape York in Far North Queensland. It grows in open forest or rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
, often along the banks or creeks and rivers.
Golden penda can be propagated by seed or cuttings. It grows well in subtropical gardens with fair drainage and sunny aspect. Its horticultural appeal stems from its profuse and attractive flowering. The species is less reliable in flowering in climates such as Sydney and cooler.