Gmelina fasciculiflora

Gmelina fasciculiflora
Northern White Beech
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Lamiaceae
Genus:	Gmelina
Species:	G. fasciculiflora
Binomial name
Gmelina fasciculiflora Benth.[1]

Gmelina fasciculiflora flowers

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.^[2] It is one of five species of the genus Gmelina found in Australia. The genus belongs to the family Lamiaceae.^[3]

Taxonomy

Gmelina fasciculiflora was first described by English botanist George Bentham in his Flora Australiensis in 1870, from a collection by Dallachy.^[4] Its species name is derived from Latin and means "flowers in clusters".^[5]

Description

It shares characteristics with the more southerly White Beech. 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 panicles. These attractive flowers are around 2 cm long.^[6] 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.

Habitat and ecology

The natural habitat is both lowland and highland rainforests of northeastern Queensland.^[5] The fruit are eaten by the Wompoo Fruit Dove.^[7]

Cultivation and uses

Gmelina fasciculiflora has grown and flowered well in cultivation in Brisbane, where it has been planted in public parks.^[5] The timber is fairly soft for a hardwood and acidic. It is not resistant to termites. It is highly regarded for carving in Queensland.^[8]

References

1. ^ "Gmelina fasciculiflora". Zipcodezoo. http://zipcodezoo.com/Plants/G/Gmelina_fasciculiflora/. 
2. ^ "Gmelina fasciculiflora". James Cook University. http://www-public.jcu.edu.au/discovernature/plantcairns/JCUDEV_006029. 
3. ^ "NEW SOUTH WALES FLORA ONLINE - Gmelina". Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney. http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=gn&name=Gmelina. 
4. ^ "Gmelina fasciculiflora Benth.". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. http://www.anbg.gov.au/cgi-bin/apni?taxon_id=38567. 
5. ^ ^{a b c} Eliot RW, Jones DL, Blake T (1986). Encyclopaedia of Australian Plants Suitable for Cultivation: Volume 4 (Eu-Go). Port Melbourne: Lothian Press. p. 373. ISBN 0-85091-589-9. 
6. ^ David L. Jones, Rainforest Plants of Australia. page 222 ISBN 0730103811
7. ^ Crome FHJ. "The Ecology of Fruit Pigeons in Tropical Northern Queensland". Australian Wildlife Research 2 (2): 155–85. doi:10.1071/WR9750155. 
8. ^ Gary Hopewell (24 October 2007). "White beech". Department of Primary Industries, Queensland Government. http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/26_5723.htm.