Biology:Allocasuarina grampiana

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Short description: Species of flowering plant

Allocasuarina grampiana
Allocasuarina grampiana 5030.jpg
Branchlets and female cones
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fagales
Family: Casuarinaceae
Genus: Allocasuarina
Species:
A. grampiana
Binomial name
Allocasuarina grampiana
L.A.S.Johnson[2]
AllocasuarinagrampianaDistributionMap21.png
Occurrence data from AVH
Male spikes

Allocasuarina grampiana, commonly known as Grampians sheoak,[3] is a species of flowering plant in the family Casuarinaceae and is endemic to the Grampians National Park in Victoria. It is a dioecious shrub that has branchlets up to 150 mm (5.9 in) long, the leaves reduced to scales in whorls of six or seven, the fruiting cones 13–35 mm (0.51–1.38 in) long containing winged seeds (samaras) about 5 mm (0.20 in) long.

Description

Allocasuarina grampiana is a dioecious shrub that typically grows to a height of 1–4 m (3 ft 3 in–13 ft 1 in) and has smooth bark. Its branchlets are more or less erect, up to 150 mm (5.9 in) long, the leaves reduced to erect to slightly spreading, scale-like teeth 0.4–0.8 mm (0.016–0.031 in) long, arranged in whorls of six or seven around the branchlets. The sections of branchlet between the leaf whorls (the "articles") are 5–12 mm (0.20–0.47 in) long, 0.7–1 mm (0.028–0.039 in) wide and have a waxy covering. Male flowers are arranged in spikes 10–40 mm (0.39–1.57 in) long, the anthers 0.7–0.8 mm (0.028–0.031 in) long. Female cones are cylindrical, on a peduncle 2–6 mm (0.079–0.236 in) long. Mature cones are 13–35 mm (0.51–1.38 in) long and 7–9 mm (0.28–0.35 in) in diameter, the samaras 4.5–5.5 mm (0.18–0.22 in) long.[3][4]

Taxonomy

Allocasuarina grampiana was first formally described in 1989 by Lawrie Johnson in the Flora of Australia from specimens collected by David Eric Symon on the upper slopes of Mount Rosea in 1965.[5][6] The specific epithet, (grampiana) refers to the Grampians National Park, to where this species is restricted.[6]

Distribution and habitat

Grampians sheoak is restricted to the Grampians National Park, where it grows on sandstone outcrops.[3][4]

Conservation status

Allocasuarina grampiana is listed as "endangered" under the Victorian Government Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988.[3]

References

Wikidata ☰ Q15375808 entry