Corynocarpus rupestris
Encyclopedia
Corynocarpus rupestris, is an evergreen
laurifolia tree, of the family Corynocarpaceae, commonly known as the Glenugie Karaka is a rainforest
tree found in eastern Australia
. Sub-species arborescens is a small hairless shrub or tree up to 13 metres (45 ft) tall and a stem diameter of 40 cm (16 in) is an evergreen
laurifolia tree with large glossy leaves endemic
to laurel forest
habitat. However, sub-species rupestris grows only to 6 metres (20 ft) and a stem diameter of 17 cm (7 in). It is a rare plant with a ROTAP
rating of 2VC-t
s greenish-cream to white or off-white or pale yellow with petioles 10-15 mm long. The individual flowers are 4 to 5 mm in diameter with petals 2.4–3.5 mm long . The pedicels are having 3–5 mm long. The Sepals 2–4 mm long.
The fruit is a rounded or globose drupe red and glossy of 1 to 4 cm diameter, in some sub-species with a tiny point on the end, and have a single kernel with a seed. The fruit ripens in summer and autumn January to April and the seed dispersion is the result of scattering by columbiform birds mostly.
Fire is generally excluded by the rocky terrain and absence of ground litter.
With the drying of Australia, the laurel forest
s habitat gradually retreated, and were replaced by the more drought-tolerant sclerophyll
plant communities familiar today. Most of the last remaining laurisilva forests are believed to have disappeared when the clima became drier and with a harsher climate, although some remnants of the laurel forest flora still persist in the mountains of southern are widespread relics of the laurisilva
forests that originally covered much more when the climate of the region was more humid. Furthermore, the species was able to adapt to a relatively drier climate with relatively drier summers than those which were themselves. It grows well in limy soil
s and sheltered position due to its late flowering habit. The grow as a multi-stemmed shrub rather than a tree is an adaptation to this new habitat with well-drained soil and only moderate amounts of water. Corynocarpus rupestris subsp. rupestris, is naturally adapted to dry summers, though also growing well in the cool, wet summers, like to others tertiary lauroides. Corynocarpus rupestris is a typical representative of Laurel forest
ecoregion
.
Glenugie Karaka can be distinguished from Corynocarpus rupestris subsp. arborescens or Southern Corynocarpus, by its longer inflorescences, which are 10–21 cm long, and shorter height, as Southern Corynocarpus grows to 12 m hight.
species Corynocarpus laevigatus. The generic name Corynocarpus means a club fruit, referring to the club shaped fruit of other species in the genus. Rupestris is from the Latin
, meaning living near rocks.
Evergreen
In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...
laurifolia tree, of the family Corynocarpaceae, commonly known as the Glenugie Karaka is a rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
tree found in eastern Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Sub-species arborescens is a small hairless shrub or tree up to 13 metres (45 ft) tall and a stem diameter of 40 cm (16 in) is an evergreen
Evergreen
In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...
laurifolia tree with large glossy leaves endemic
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
to laurel forest
Laurel forest
Laurel forest is a subtropical or mild temperate forest, found in areas with high humidity and relatively stable and mild temperatures. They are characterized by tree species with evergreen, glossy, enlongated leaves, known as laurophyll or lauroide...
habitat. However, sub-species rupestris grows only to 6 metres (20 ft) and a stem diameter of 17 cm (7 in). It is a rare plant with a ROTAP
ROTAP
Rare or Threatened Australian Plants, usually abbreviated to ROTAP, is a list of rare or threatened Australian plant taxa. Developed and maintained by the CSIRO, the most recent edition lists 5031 taxa. The list uses a binary coding system based on the IUCN Red List categories for "Presumed...
rating of 2VC-t
Description
Corynocarpus rupestris is having two sub-species. It is a densely bushy small tree or tall shrub of 2 – 5 m, or a leafy canopy tree that grow to 13 m high with erect or spreading branches. When it is a shrub its trunk is usually multi-stemmed and has smooth, semi-corky bark with broad, shallow fissures. branchlets with prominent scars from scale leaves. The thick, stiff glossy leathery and glabrous leaves are dark green above and paler beneath, 5 to 18 cm long and 3 to 7 cm wide. Leaves usually alternate or in whorls of 3 on juvenile plants, ovate or obovate to lanceolate, The scale leaves of 2–3 mm long are glossy. Leaves on young plants or on the lower parts of adult plants are so strongly and sharply toothed that they appear to be of a different species. Some intermediate leaves are usually present. Leaves are having apex aristate, base decurrent. The margins of leaves are slightly recurved, undulate, entire except for spinose teeth in juveniles. In winter and spring (August to November) it produces a cluster stout, erect of 10 to 21 cm long, of tiny flowerFlower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s greenish-cream to white or off-white or pale yellow with petioles 10-15 mm long. The individual flowers are 4 to 5 mm in diameter with petals 2.4–3.5 mm long . The pedicels are having 3–5 mm long. The Sepals 2–4 mm long.
The fruit is a rounded or globose drupe red and glossy of 1 to 4 cm diameter, in some sub-species with a tiny point on the end, and have a single kernel with a seed. The fruit ripens in summer and autumn January to April and the seed dispersion is the result of scattering by columbiform birds mostly.
Habitat and ecology
Dry rainforest on steep basalt boulder slopes. Soil is scarce but relatively high in nutrients and very well-drained.Fire is generally excluded by the rocky terrain and absence of ground litter.
With the drying of Australia, the laurel forest
Laurel forest
Laurel forest is a subtropical or mild temperate forest, found in areas with high humidity and relatively stable and mild temperatures. They are characterized by tree species with evergreen, glossy, enlongated leaves, known as laurophyll or lauroide...
s habitat gradually retreated, and were replaced by the more drought-tolerant sclerophyll
Sclerophyll
Sclerophyll is the term for a type of vegetation that has hard leaves and short internodes . The word comes from the Greek sclero and phyllon ....
plant communities familiar today. Most of the last remaining laurisilva forests are believed to have disappeared when the clima became drier and with a harsher climate, although some remnants of the laurel forest flora still persist in the mountains of southern are widespread relics of the laurisilva
Laurisilva
Laurisilva or laurissilva is a subtropical forest, found in areas with high humidity and relatively stable and mild temperatures. They are characterised by evergreen, glossy-leaved tree species that look alike with leaves of lauroide type...
forests that originally covered much more when the climate of the region was more humid. Furthermore, the species was able to adapt to a relatively drier climate with relatively drier summers than those which were themselves. It grows well in limy soil
Soil
Soil is a natural body consisting of layers of mineral constituents of variable thicknesses, which differ from the parent materials in their morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics...
s and sheltered position due to its late flowering habit. The grow as a multi-stemmed shrub rather than a tree is an adaptation to this new habitat with well-drained soil and only moderate amounts of water. Corynocarpus rupestris subsp. rupestris, is naturally adapted to dry summers, though also growing well in the cool, wet summers, like to others tertiary lauroides. Corynocarpus rupestris is a typical representative of Laurel forest
Laurel forest
Laurel forest is a subtropical or mild temperate forest, found in areas with high humidity and relatively stable and mild temperatures. They are characterized by tree species with evergreen, glossy, enlongated leaves, known as laurophyll or lauroide...
ecoregion
Ecoregion
An ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than an ecozone and larger than an ecosystem. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural...
.
Sub-species
- Corynocarpus rupestris subsp. rupestris, Glenugie Karaka.
- corynocarpus rupestris subsp. arborescens, Southern Corynocarpus.
Glenugie Karaka can be distinguished from Corynocarpus rupestris subsp. arborescens or Southern Corynocarpus, by its longer inflorescences, which are 10–21 cm long, and shorter height, as Southern Corynocarpus grows to 12 m hight.
Naming
The word Glenugie comes from the small mountain where sub-species rupestris was collected Glenugie Peak. Karaka is a Maori name from the related New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
species Corynocarpus laevigatus. The generic name Corynocarpus means a club fruit, referring to the club shaped fruit of other species in the genus. Rupestris is from the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, meaning living near rocks.