Athertonia

Athertonia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
Order:	Proteales
Family:	Proteaceae
Genus:	Athertonia L.A.S.Johnson & B.G.Briggs
Binomial name
Athertonia diversifolia (C.T.White) L.A.S.Johnson & B.G.Briggs

Athertonia is a genus of a sole described species of tall trees, constituting part of the plant family Proteaceae.^[1][2][3] The species Athertonia diversifolia grows naturally only (endemic) in restricted tablelands and mountains regions of the wet tropics rain forests of north-eastern Queensland, Australia.^[2][3] For example, it grows in the Atherton Tableland region with which it shares its name, from the colonial pastoralist John Atherton (1837–1913).

It is known as the Atherton Oak due to the shape of its immature leaves which resemble those of the English oak Quercus robur, which it is unrelated to.

References

1. "Athertonia". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS) database (listing by % wildcard matching of all taxa relevant to Australia). Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 26 Apr 2013.
2. Hyland, B. P. M.; Whiffin, T.; Zich, F. A.; et al. (Dec 2010). "Factsheet – Athertonia diversifolia". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants. Edition 6.1, online version [RFK 6.1]. Cairns, Australia: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), through its Division of Plant Industry; the Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research; the Australian Tropical Herbarium, James Cook University. Retrieved 18 Apr 2013.
3. Weston, Peter H. (1995). "Athertonia" (online version). In McCarthy, Patrick. Flora of Australia: Volume 16: Eleagnaceae, Proteaceae 1. Flora of Australia series. CSIRO Publishing / Australian Biological Resources Study. 413–415, Figs 147, 178, Map 465. ISBN 978-0-643-05692-3.

External links

• Photograph of leaves, showing distinct shape