Litsea bindoniana

Litsea bindoniana, known as the big-leaved bollywood is a rainforest tree in the laurel family. A small to medium-sized bushy tree endemic to the rainforests of tropical Queensland, Australia.[2] It features large leaves with attractive yellow venation, 25 cm (10 in) long by 10 cm (4 in) wide. They are dark green above, and paler and somewhat hairy below. The leaf stalks are hairy. The small (0.7 cm diameter) greenish flowers are fragrant and occur from March to May. They are followed by fruits which mature from September to October, being a black drupe. Regeneration is from fresh seed, after removing the fleshy aril around the seed.[3]

Litsea bindoniana
Big-leaved Bollywood
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Magnoliids
Order: Laurales
Family: Lauraceae
Genus: Litsea
Species:
L. bindoniana
Binomial name
Litsea bindoniana
(F.Muell.) F.Muell.[1]
Synonyms

Cylicodaphne bindoniana F.Muell.

The species was first described by Ferdinand von Mueller as Cylicodaphne bindoniana in 1865,[4] before he reclassified and renamed it as Litsea bindoniana in 1882.[1] It was named in honour of Victorian 19th century parliamentarian and agriculturist Samuel Henry Bindon. It is one of eleven species in the large Asian genus Litsea to reach Australia.[3]

Litsea bindoniana is found in central and northern Queensland in forests to altitudes of 1000 m (3500 ft).[3] Its fruit are eaten by the superb fruit dove, along with many other lauraceae.[5] It is also a food plant for the blue triangle (Graphium sarpedon) and bronze flat (Netrocoryne repanda).[6] The leaves are used by the tooth-billed catbird (Scenopoeetes dentirostris) to decorate its display court.[7]

Litsea bindoniana is suited as a garden plant in tropical situations. Young plants need protection from winds, as well as plenty of shade and moisture.[8]

References
  1. "Litsea bindoniana (F.Muell.) F.Muell.". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
  2. Hyland, B. P. M.; Whiffin, T.; Zich, F. A.; et al. (Dec 2010). "Factsheet – Litsea bindoniana". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants (6.1, online version RFK 6.1 ed.). 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 16 July 2013.
  3. Elliot, Rodger W.; Jones, David L.; Blake, Trevor (1993). Encyclopaedia of Australian Plants Suitable for Cultivation: Volume 6 (K-M). Port Melbourne: Lothian Press. pp. 200–01. ISBN 0-85091-589-9.
  4. "Cylicodaphne bindoniana F.Muell.". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
  5. Crome FHJ (1975). "The Ecology of Fruit Pigeons in Tropical Northern Queensland". Australian Wildlife Research. 2 (2): 155–85. doi:10.1071/WR9750155.
  6. E D Edwards; J. Newland; L. Regan (2001). Zoological Catalogue of Australia Volume 31.6:Lepidoptera: Hesperioidea, Papilionoidea, Volume 311. CSIRO Publishing. p. 535. ISBN 0-643-06700-0. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
  7. Clifford B. Frith; Dawn W. Frith; Eustace Barnes (2004). The bowerbirds: Ptilonorhychidae. Oxford University Press. p. 266. ISBN 0-19-854844-3. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
  8. David L. Jones, Rainforest Plants of Australia. page 168 ISBN 0-7301-0381-1
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