Ceratopetalum

Ceratopetalum
Ceratopetalum
C. gummiferum in flower
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Oxalidales
Family: Cunoniaceae
Genus: Ceratopetalum
D. Don[1]
Species

See text

Ceratopetalum is a genus of nine species of shrub and tree in the family Cunoniaceae. They are found along the eastern coast of Australia and extend north to New Guinea. Two Australian species are among the best known, one being C. apetalum or coachwood, renowned as a timber tree, and C. gummiferum, the New South Wales Christmas bush, so named as it flowers in December.

Selected species
  • Ceratopetalum apetalum D.Don (Coachwood)
  • Ceratopetalum corymbosum C.T.White
  • Ceratopetalum gummiferum Sm. (NSW Christmas Bush)
  • Ceratopetalum hylandii Rozefelds & R.W.Barnes
  • Ceratopetalum iugumensis Rozefelds & R.W.Barnes
  • Ceratopetalum macrophyllum Hoogland
  • Ceratopetalum succirubrum C.T.White
  • Ceratopetalum tetrapterum Mattf.
  • Ceratopetalum virchowii F.Muell.

Fossil evidence

Fossil evidence for Ceratopetalum species has been found in Eocene deposits in South Australia[2]. Named fossil species include Ceratopetalum maslinensis and Ceratopetalum westermannii.

References

  1. ^ "Ceratopetalum Sm.". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. http://www.anbg.gov.au/cgi-bin/apni?taxon_id=5349. 
  2. ^ Barnes RW, Hill RS.Ceratopetalum fruits from Australian cainozoic sediments and their significance for petal evolution in the genus. Australian Systematic Botany 12(5) 635 - 645.


Stub icon This Oxalidales article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.