Hoya australis
Encyclopedia
Hoya australis, commonly known as the Waxvine or Common waxflower, is one of the species in the genus Hoya
. It is a vine
found on rainforest
margins and rocky areas, and occurs in eastern
and northern Australia
, from the Northern Territory though coastal Queensland
from Cape York
to northern New South Wales
. It is a popular garden plant, noted for its fragrant flowers.
, its specific epithet australis is Latin
for "southern".
climbing vine which may reach 4–10 m (13–35 ft). It has simple opposite glabrous (shiny) leaves
3–6 cm long and 2–5 cm wide. They are succulent (thick and fleshy) and elliptical or ovate in shape; leaves growing in sunnier positions are a more yellowish-green while those in shadier locales are dark green in colour. Flowering may occur at any time of year. The flower
s appear in axillary
umbellate
clusters at the apex of 0.5–2.5 cm long peduncles
. Each flower is 1.5–2.5 cm in diameter, with five thick, waxy, triangular petals, and white with each lobe marked red. They have a strong sweet scent and produce abundant nectar.
s of the Queensland butterfly the No-brand Crow (Euploea alcathoe), and the Common Australian Crow (E. core
). Flowers are pollinated by the Southern Grass-dart (Ocybadistes walkeri
).
in Northern New South Wales northwards to Cape York
in north Queensland. It grows on the edges of rainforest and in rocky exposed habitat.
Hoya
Hoya is a genus of 200-300 species of tropical plants in the family Apocynaceae , fomerly considered to be in the Asclepiadaceae...
. It is a vine
Vine
A vine in the narrowest sense is the grapevine , but more generally it can refer to any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent, that is to say climbing, stems or runners...
found on rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
margins and rocky areas, and occurs in eastern
Eastern states of Australia
In Australia, the term eastern states refers to the states adjoining the east coast of Australia. These are the mainland states of New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. The Australian Capital Territory and Jervis Bay Territory, while not states, are also included. The term usually includes the...
and northern Australia
Northern Australia
The term northern Australia is generally known to include two State and Territories, being Queensland and the Northern Territory . The part of Western Australia north of latitude 26° south—a definition widely used in law and State government policy—is also usually included...
, from the Northern Territory though coastal Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
from Cape York
Cape York Peninsula
Cape York Peninsula is a large remote peninsula located in Far North Queensland at the tip of the state of Queensland, Australia, the largest unspoilt wilderness in northern Australia and one of the last remaining wilderness areas on Earth...
to northern New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. It is a popular garden plant, noted for its fragrant flowers.
Taxonomy
The Common waxflower was originally described in 1828 by the botanist Robert BrownRobert Brown (botanist)
Robert Brown was a Scottish botanist and palaeobotanist who made important contributions to botany largely through his pioneering use of the microscope...
, its specific epithet australis is 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...
for "southern".
Subspecies
- Hoya australis australis
- Hoya australis oramicola – described by botanists Paul Forster and David Liddle in 1991, it is restricted to Bathurst Island off the Northern TerritoryNorthern TerritoryThe Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
coast. - Hoya australis rupicola
- Hoya australis sana
- Hoya australis sanae
- Hoya australis tenuipes
Description
Hoya australis is an evergreenEvergreen
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...
climbing vine which may reach 4–10 m (13–35 ft). It has simple opposite glabrous (shiny) leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
3–6 cm long and 2–5 cm wide. They are succulent (thick and fleshy) and elliptical or ovate in shape; leaves growing in sunnier positions are a more yellowish-green while those in shadier locales are dark green in colour. Flowering may occur at any time of year. The flower
Flower
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 appear in axillary
Axillary
Axillary means "related to the axilla "."Axillary" may refer to:* Axillary artery* Axillary vein* Axillary nerve* Axillary bud...
umbellate
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
clusters at the apex of 0.5–2.5 cm long peduncles
Peduncle (botany)
In botany, a peduncle is a stem supporting an inflorescence, or after fecundation, an infructescence.The peduncle is a stem, usually green and without leaves, though sometimes colored or supporting small leaves...
. Each flower is 1.5–2.5 cm in diameter, with five thick, waxy, triangular petals, and white with each lobe marked red. They have a strong sweet scent and produce abundant nectar.
Ecology
It serves as a food plant for the caterpillarCaterpillar
Caterpillars are the larval form of members of the order Lepidoptera . They are mostly herbivorous in food habit, although some species are insectivorous. Caterpillars are voracious feeders and many of them are considered to be pests in agriculture...
s of the Queensland butterfly the No-brand Crow (Euploea alcathoe), and the Common Australian Crow (E. core
Euploea core
The Common Crow is a common butterfly found in South Asia. In India it is also sometimes referred to as the Common Indian Crow, and in Australia as the Australian Crow. It belongs to the Crows and Tigers subfamily of the Nymphalidae .The Common Crow is the most common representative of its genus...
). Flowers are pollinated by the Southern Grass-dart (Ocybadistes walkeri
Ocybadistes walkeri
Ocybadistes walkeri, commonly known as the Greenish Grass-dart, Green Grass-dart, Southern Dart or Yellow-banded Dart, is a type of butterfly known as a Skipper found in eastern and southern Australia, with one subspecies found in the Northern Territory.The larvae feed on Dianella, Brachypodium...
).
Distribution and habitat
In Australia, it is found from GraftonGrafton, New South Wales
The city of Grafton is the commercial hub of the Clarence River Valley. Established in 1851, Grafton features many historic buildings and tree-lined streets. Located approximately 630 kilometres north of Sydney and 340 km south of Brisbane, Grafton and the Clarence Valley can be reached...
in Northern New South Wales northwards to Cape York
Cape York Peninsula
Cape York Peninsula is a large remote peninsula located in Far North Queensland at the tip of the state of Queensland, Australia, the largest unspoilt wilderness in northern Australia and one of the last remaining wilderness areas on Earth...
in north Queensland. It grows on the edges of rainforest and in rocky exposed habitat.