Anopterus macleayanus

Location & distribution maps

Phylogeny & links to associated information

Wikipedia links:        Angiosperms > Eudicots > Asterids >  Escallonniales > Escallonaceae > Anopterus  macleayanus

Other links:     

Plant  information

Common name:               Queensland Laurel 

• Also, Macleay Laurel

Conservation status:   Least concern

Etymology:   

• Anopterus comes from the Ancient Greek words ano (upwards) and pteron (wing), referring to its characteristic winged seeds

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Flowers:                  

• The petioles are red-tinged

• The white flowers occur in racemes between October and December (mid spring to early summer) in its native range

Fruit:                         

Leaves:         

•  The leaf bases are red-tinged

• Oblanceolate (spear-shaped) leaves 

• 10-to-30 cm long and 2-to-4 cm wide with blunt serrated margins

• The juvenile leaves may be considerably larger

Stem & branches:  

Roots:         

Habit:        

• It is a shrub or small tree 

• It can grow up to 15 metres high

Habitat:   

• It is a plant of warm-temperate and subtropical rainforest

Distribution:                  

•  It is native to Queensland and NSW

• From the Comboyne Plateau in NSW northwards into Queensland

Additional notes:     

• Taxonomy

  • The species was formally described in 1859 by botanist Ferdinand von Mueller, having been collected from the summit of Mt Lindesay

  • It was named in honour of Sir William Macleay. It is one of two species that belong to the genus Anopterus

• Ecology

  • The thrips species Thrips setipennis was recovered from the flowers of Anopterus macleayanus, suggesting it may be a pollinator

• Cultivation

  • Its long leaves with wavy margins and red-pink highlights give it horticultural potential

  • It grows best in part-shaded positions in well-drained soil in the garden, with added water during the summer

  • As a rainforest floor plant, it requires a sheltered position when becoming established in the garden

  • It is resilient but can be slow-growing

  • It can be grown in containers, even as an indoor plant

Sources of information:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anopterus_macleayanus (2023)