Buckinghamia celsissima

Buckinghamia celsissima
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
Order: Proteales
Family: Proteaceae
Genus: Buckinghamia
Species: B. celsissima
Binomial name
Buckinghamia celsissima
F.Muell.

Buckinghamia celsissima, commonly known as the ivory curl, is a species of trees, constituting part of the plant family Proteaceae. They grow naturally only (endemic) in the wet tropics rainforests areas of north eastern Queensland, Australia.

The species was described in 1868 by Ferdinand von Mueller in honour of Richard Grenville, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, from a collection of material made by John Dallachy near Rockingham Bay on 11 January 1865. Its specific epithet is Latin for "very tall".[1] Common names include ivory curl flower and spotted silky oak.[2]

Buckinghamia celsissima reaches 30 m (98 ft) tall in its natural rainforest habitat, but is much smaller, reaching 10 m (33 ft) tall, in Australian east coast gardens.[1] Glossy dark green above and whitish below, the leaves are quite variable. Juvenile leaves have one or more lobes while adult leaves are simple and entire,[1] measuring 8 to 16 cm (3.1 to 6.3 in) long by 3–7 cm (1.2–2.8 in) wide.[3] The white flower spikes appear over summer and autumn.[1] Terminal and showy,[4] these are drooping racemes up to 20 cm (7.9 in) in length.[1] Flowers are followed by the development of woody follicles, 1.5–3 cm (0.59–1.18 in) long.[3]

In the wild they are found more frequently in drier rainforest from altitudes of 200 to 1,000 m (660 to 3,280 ft) above sea level. They often grow with kauri pine (Agathis robusta).[3]

The species is grown widely in Brisbane and thrives in Sydney and Melbourne, yet is shy to flower in Cairns.[1] Frosts render it difficult to grow in Canberra.[5] It can be propagated from seeds or cuttings of hardened new growth.[4] Its flowerheads attract birds and insects.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Wrigley, John; Fagg, Murray (1991). Banksias, Waratahs and Grevilleas. Sydney, New South Wales: Angus & Robertson. p. 125. ISBN 0-207-17277-3.
  2. ↑ "Buckinghamia celsissima F. Muell.". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Canberra, Australian Capital Territory: Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 Hyland, B. P. M.; Whiffin, T.; Zich, F. A.; et al. (Dec 2010). "Factsheet – Buckinghamia celsissima". 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 20 March 2013.
  4. 1 2 Walters, Brian (2007). "Buckinghamia celsissima". Australian Native Plants Society website. Australian Native Plants Society (Australia). Archived from the original on 23 June 2013. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  5. ↑ Campbell, Colin (2 April 2005). "Fact Sheet: Buckinghamia celsissima". Gardening Australia website. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  6. ↑ McCaffrey, Angela (October–December 2011). "Trees we love to plant". TREAT Newsletter Storm Season. Retrieved 20 March 2013.

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