Austrobaileya
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It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Austrobaileyaceae. (Discuss) Proposed since May 2010. |
| Austrobaileya | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| Order: | Austrobaileyales |
| Family: | Austrobaileyaceae |
| Genus: | Austrobaileya C.T.White |
| Species | |
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Austrobaileya is a genus of flowering plants native to Queensland state in northeastern Australia, consisting of two species of evergreen lianas, A. maculata and A. scandens. Austrobaileya is the sole genus in the family Austrobaileyaceae.
Austrobaileya are woody vines. Its main stem is loosely twining, with straight, extending, leafy branches. The leaves are leathery, veined and simple. The leaves produces essential oils in spherical ethereal oil cells.
Austrobaileya foliage is damaged by oxidation in direct sunlight, so it tends to grow beneath the rainforest canopy, in low-sunlight and very humid conditions. Like many other flowering plants growing in the understory of tropical rainforest, it does not have palisade mesophyll tissue or low leaf photosynthetic rates. It relies strongly on vegetative reproduction for continuation of the species.
A. scandens is found only in the Daintree Rainforest in Queensland, and is rare and endemic to the area. It is the oldest flowering plant in Australia that requires pollination. Austrobaileya is one of many primitive plants found in Daintree that have survived millions of years of climatic change and disasters.
A. scandens is well adapted to Daintree, where it can wind around tall woody trees that form the rainforest canopy. The tropical, damp, humid, and low-light understory of the rainforest is perfect for its photosynthesis, which is adapted to the low-light conditions.
A. scandens can grow up to 15m (50 ft) tall. The plant has a distinctive blue-green color foliage. Austrobaileya has large and solitary flowers that are arranged in a spiral with pale green petals. Flowers are pollinated by flies. To attract pollinators, A. scandens’ flowers release a rotting fish smell.
A. scandens fruits are apricot-coloured and contain tightly packed seeds, similar in shape to chestnuts. The fruit is shaped like a pear or eggplant. Fruits have been known to grow to sizes of 7 cm in length by 5 cm.
