(Austrocallerya)
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Wikipedia links: Angiosperms > Eudicots > Rosids > Fabids > Fabeles > Fabaceae > Callerya
Other links:
Common name: . . .
Conservation status: . . .
Etymology:
The genus name refers to the southern hemisphere distribution of the species and their former placement in Callerya
Flowers:
The robust inflorescence is a many-flowered terminal panicle, 6–40 cm long
The individual flowers are 11–16 mm long and have the general shape of members of the subfamily Faboideae
The standard petal is 12–22 mm long by 11–18 mm wide and of various colours from whitish to purple, with a greenish yellow or lime green nectar guide
The purple or maroon wing petals are equal in length to the keel at 11–14 mm long by 5–6 mm wide, with short basal claws
The keel petals are 11–14 mm long by 4–6 mm wide, united into a cup
They are dark reddish, purple or maroon in two of the species and white with purple tips in A. megasperma
Nine of the stamens are fused together, the other is free; all curve upwards at the apex
Fruit:
The inflated seed pods are 7–23 cm long by 3–5.2 cm wide, with hollow cavities holding generally 2–6 seeds
Leaves:
The leaves are evergreen and generally have 4–18 paired leaflets plus a terminal leaflet
The leaflets are 3–14 cm long by 1–7 cm wide
Stem & branches:
Species of Austrocallerya are a robust twining woody vines, reaching 2–20 m high
The mature stems have flaky, peeling bark
Roots:
Habit:
Habitat:
Robust, twining woody vines
Distribution:
Native to New Guinea, Queensland and NSW in eastern Australia
Also, various islands in the Southern Pacific (the Cook Islands, New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, the Solomon Islands, the Tuamotus and Tubuai)
Species:
World:
Australia:
Additional notes:
Taxonomy
See also: Wisterieae § Taxonomy
In 1912, Stephen Troyte Dunn recognized the distinctiveness of three Australasian species then placed in the genus Millettia, and created a separate section, Austromillettia, for them
A 2019 molecular phylogenetic study found that the three species did not belong either in the genus Millettia or in the genus Callerya where they had later been placed, but instead formed a distinct clade, sister to Padbruggea, within a newly expanded tribe Wisterieae
Accordingly, the genus Austrocallerya was established
Dstinguishing featues
Austrocallerya species can be distinguished from Padbruggea by a number of features, including the more upright inflorescences, the broader standard petals, and the more linear seed pods
Species
As of January 2023, Plants of the World Online accepted three species:
Austrocallerya australis (Endl.) J.Compton & Schrire
Austrocallerya megasperma (F.Muell.) J.Compton & Schrire
Austrocallerya pilipes (F.M.Bailey) J.Compton & Schrire
Sources of information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callerya (Feb 2024)