Alyxia ilicifolia, commonly known as native holly, is a species of plant in the oleander and frangipani family Apocynaceae, found only in the Wet Tropics bioregion of Queensland, Australia. It was first described by German-born Australian botanist Ferdinand von Mueller in 1864.
| Native holly | |
|---|---|
| |
| At Lake Barrine, Queensland | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Gentianales |
| Family: | Apocynaceae |
| Genus: | Alyxia |
| Species: | A. ilicifolia
|
| Binomial name | |
| Alyxia ilicifolia | |
| Synonyms[3] | |
Description
editIt is a shrub to about 5 m (16 ft) tall, but often flowering when just 2 m (6 ft 7 in) tall. The leaves are produced in whorls of three or four, ovate in outline, with about 50 lateral veins on either side of the midrib at an angle of almost 90° to it. The leaves may have several short sharp spines about 3 mm (0.12 in) long on the edges.[4][5]
Inflorescences are branched cymes about 20 mm (0.79 in) long. The flowers are white, corolla tube is about 10 mm (0.39 in) long and the lobes about 3–7 mm (0.12–0.28 in) long. The fruit is orange when ripe and sometimes resembles a string of beads, it may be up to 23 mm (0.9 in) long and 12 mm (0.5 in) wide.[4][5]
Distribution and habitat
editThis species is restricted to rainforest on the coastal ranges of northeast Queensland above 600 m (2,000 ft), from about Cooktown south to about Cardwell. It is usually found on soils derived from granite.[4][6]
Conservation
editAs of December 2024[update], this species has been assessed to be of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and by the Queensland Government under its Nature Conservation Act.[1][7]
Gallery
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Foliage
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Underside of leaf
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Fruit
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Fruit
References
edit- ^ a b IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group & Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI). (2021). "Alyxia ilicifolia". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T192228136A192228138. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T192228136A192228138.en. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
- ^ "Alyxia ilicifolia". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
- ^ a b "Alyxia ilicifolia F.Muell". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
- ^ a b c F.A.Zich; B.P.M.Hyland; T.Whiffen; R.A.Kerrigan (2020). "Alyxia ilicifolia". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants Edition 8 (RFK8). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
- ^ a b Forster, P.I. (2022). Kodela, P.G. (ed.). "Alyxia ilicifolia". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
- ^ "Search: species: Alyxia ilicifolia | Occurrence records". Australasian Virtual Herbarium. Australian Government. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
- ^ "Species profile—Alyxia ilicifolia". Queensland Department of Environment and Science. Queensland Government. 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
External links
edit- View a map of herbarium collections of this species at the Australasian Virtual Herbarium
- View observations of this species on iNaturalist
- View images of this species on Flickriver.com