Adriana quadripartita

Adriana quadripartita
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Malpighiales
Family:	Euphorbiaceae
Genus:	Adriana
Species:	A. quadripartita
Binomial name
Adriana quadripartita (Labill.) Muell.Arg.[1]
Synonyms
Adriana bloudowskyana Mull.Arg. ex Pax Adriana klotzschii (F.Muell.) Mull.Arg. Croton quadripartitus Labill. Trachycaryon klotzschii F.Muell.

Adriana quadripartita (Bitter Bush) is a shrub in the family Euphorbiaceae. The species, which is endemic to southern Australia, has an erect open habit, growing to between 0.5 and 3 metres or more high.^[2][3][4]

The lanceloate or ovate leaves are opposite, coarsely toothed and have a glabrous upper surface.^[3][5] They are 5 to 10 cm long and 2 to 4 cm wide.^[5] The male flower spikes are up to 17 cm long.^[3] The female flowers, which occur on separate plants, appear in clusters.^[5] These are followed by ovoid capsules which are about 1 centimetre in diameter.^[2]

Forms

There are two recognised forms, one with wholly glabrous leaves and another pubescent form with leaves which are whitish-tomentose on the underside.

Glabrous form

This form, also known as Rare Bitter-bush or Adriana quadripartita sensu stricto, occurs in Western Australia, South Australia and in Victoria where it reaches its eastern limit at Port Phillip heads.^[2][4][5] This form is listed as "threatened" in Victoria under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988.^[6]

Pubescent form

This form, also known as Coast Bitter-bush, is sometimes recognised as a species in its own right - Adriana klotzchii. It occurs on sand dunes along the coast of South Australia and into Victoria as far east as Wilsons Promontory.^[3][5] In South Australia, flowers are mostly produced in spring but may appear year-round.^[3] This form is a host plant of the Bitter-bush Blue butterfly (Theclinesthes albocincta).^[7]

Cultivation

The species can be propagated by cuttings. The pubescent form may be used as a protective screen planting against salt-spray in coastal areas.^[8]

References

1. ^ "Adriana quadripartita". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government, Canberra. http://www.anbg.gov.au/cgi-bin/apni?TAXON_NAME=Adriana+quadripartita. Retrieved 2009-07-28. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} "Adriana quadripartita". Electronic Flora of South Australia Fact Sheet. State Herbarium of South Australia. http://www.flora.sa.gov.au/cgi-bin/texhtml.cgi?form=speciesfacts&family=Euphorbiaceae&genus=Adriana&species=quadripartita. Retrieved 2009-07-28. 
3. ^ ^{a b c d e} "Adriana klotzchii". Electronic Flora of South Australia Fact Sheet. State Herbarium of South Australia. http://www.flora.sa.gov.au/cgi-bin/texhtml.cgi?form=speciesfacts&family=Euphorbiaceae&genus=Adriana&species=klotzschii. Retrieved 2009-07-28. 
4. ^ ^{a b} "Adriana quadripartita". FloraBase. Department of Environment and Conservation, Government of Western Australia. http://florabase.dec.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/4582. 
5. ^ ^{a b c d e} Costermans, L. (1981). Native Trees and Shrubs of South-eastern Australia. Australia: Rigby. ISBN 072701403x. 
6. ^ "Threatened List (November 2008) - Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988". Department of Sustainability and Environment. http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/CA256F310024B628/0/CE0F24F31465F64FCA25753F00190BFF/$File/FFG+threatened+list+November+2008.pdf. Retrieved 2009-07-28. 
7. ^ "Bitter-bush Blue". Eco Voice. http://www.ecovoice.com.au/enews/enews-46/Images%2046/BitterbushBlue.pdf. Retrieved 2009-07-28. ^{[dead link]}
8. ^ Wrigley J.W. and Fagg M. (1979). Australian Native Plants. William Collins Publishers Sydney, Australia. ISBN 0-00-216416-7.