Pinkheart
In Tondoon Botanic Gardens, Gladstone
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Rutaceae
Genus: Medicosma
Species:
M. cunninghamii
Binomial name
Medicosma cunninghamii
Synonyms[1]
  • Acronychia cunninghami Hook. orth. var.
  • Acronychia cunninghamii Hook.
  • Euodia cunninghami F.Muell. orth. var.
  • Euodia cunninghamii (Hook.) F.Muell.
  • Melicope cunninghami F.Muell. nom. inval., pro syn.
  • Melicosma cunninghamii F.M.Bailey orth. var.

Medicosma cunninghamii, commonly known as pinkheart or bonewood,[2] is a species of shrub or small tree in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It has simple, narrow oblong to lance-shaped leaves and small white or cream-coloured flowers arranged in small groups.

Description

Medicosma cunninghamii is a shrub or tree that typically grows to a height of 1–2 m (3 ft 3 in – 6 ft 7 in), its young growth with a few star-shaped hairs. The leaves are narrow oblong to lance-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, 45–230 mm (1.8–9.1 in) long and 15–75 mm (0.59–2.95 in) wide on a petiole 5–20 mm (0.20–0.79 in) long. The leaves are dull green with many small oil dots. The flowers are arranged in small groups 15–90 mm (0.59–3.54 in) long, each flower on a pedicel 2.4–12 mm (0.094–0.472 in) long. The sepals are 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) long and covered with soft hairs on the outside. The petals are white or cream-coloured, 9–17 mm (0.35–0.67 in) long, softly-hairy at least on the back, and remain on the fruit, increasing in size to about 20 mm (0.79 in). Flowering mainly occurs from November to June and the fruit is 5–6.5 mm (0.20–0.26 in) long and hidden by the petal remnants.[2][3][4]

Taxonomy

Pinkheart was first formally described in 1842 by William Jackson Hooker who gave it the name Acronychia cunninghamii and published the description in the Botanical Magazine. The type specimens had been collected by Allan Cunningham near Moreton Bay and grown from seed in Kew Gardens.[5][6] In 1862, George Bentham and Joseph Dalton Hooker changed the name to Medicosma cunninghamii in Genera Plantarum.[7] The generic name Medicosma is from the Latin, referring to the citrus lemon scent of the leaves. The specific epithet (cunninghamii ) honours the explorer and botanist Allan Cunningham.

Distribution and habitat

Medicosma cunninghamii grows in rainforest from sea level to an altitude of 500 m (1,600 ft) and is found from Gladstone in central-eastern Queensland to the Richmond River in New South Wales.[2][4]

Conservation status

This species is classified as of "least concern" under the Queensland Government Nature Conservation Act 1992.[8]

Use in horticulture

Pinkheart is often grown in cultivation. It has a dense form and makes a good screening plant.[2][9]

References

  1. 1 2 "Medicosma cunninghamii". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Richards, P.G. "Medicomsa cunninghamii". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  3. ↑ Floyd, A.G. (2008). Rainforest Trees of Mainland South-eastern Australia (2nd ed.). Inkata Press. p. 364. ISBN 978-0-9589436-7-3.
  4. 1 2 Hartley, Thomas G.; Wilson, Annette J.G. (ed.) (2013). Flora of Australia (Volume 26). Canberra: Australian Biological Resources Study. pp. 89–90. Retrieved 21 July 2020. {{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)
  5. ↑ "Acronychia cunninghamii". APNI. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  6. ↑ Hooker, William Jackson (1842). Botanical Magazine (Volume 69). London: Academic Press. p. 3994. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  7. ↑ "Medicosma cunninghamii". APNI. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  8. ↑ "Species profile—Medicosma cunninghamii (pinkheart)". Queensland Government Department of Environment and Science. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  9. ↑ "Medicosma cunninghamii (Rutaceae); Pink heart". Brisbane Rainforest Action and Information Network. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
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