Alloxylon pinnatum
Encyclopedia
Alloxylon pinnatum, commonly known as Dorrigo waratah, is a tree of the Proteaceae
family found in warm-temperate rainforest of south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales in eastern Australia.
. The shiny leaves are alternately arranged along the stem, and up to 30 cm (12 in) long. Compound, they are pinnate with 2–11 leaflets. The pinkish-red flowers are up to 20 cm (8 cm) across in spring to summer, and contain between 50 and 140 smaller flowers.
and Ernst Betche in 1911 after a collection by J.L.Boorman, the Dorrigo waratah was raised to species status and reclassified as Oreocallis pinnata by Dutch botanist Hermann Otto Sleumer
in 1954. With the recognition of the distinctness of the Australian members of the genus Oreocallis
and their reallocation to the new genus Alloxylon
, it was given its current binomial name of Alloxylon pinnatum in 1991 by Peter Weston and Mike Crisp of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney. The species name refers to the pinnate leaves. Aside from Dorrigo Waratah, it has also been called the Dorrigo oak, red silky oak, tree waratah, pink silky oak, red oak, Queensland waratah, and waratah oak.
Alloxylon pinnatum and the other two tree waratah species lie in the subtribe Embothriinae, along with the true waratahs (Telopea
), and Oreocallis
and Chilean firetree (Embothrium coccineum
) from South America. Almost all these species have red terminal flowers, and hence the subtribe's origin and floral appearance most likely predates the splitting of Gondwana
into Australia, Antarctica, and South America over 60 million years ago.
in south-east Queensland and the Dorrigo Plateau
in northern New South Wales, with dominant tree species such as coachwood (Ceratopetalum apetalum) and Antarctic beech (Nothofagus moorei
). In Queensland it is associated with golden sassafras (Doryphora sassafras
) and native crabapple (Schizomeria ovata
). It commonly grows on southern aspects of hills and slopes.
It is classified as 3RCa under the Rare or Threatened Australian Plant (ROTAP
) criteria for threatened species.
in Canberra in sheltered position in part-shade with a thick layer of mulch. It is propagated most easily by seed, which is ripe from February to June and keeps for twelve months or so. It has also been grown at Mount Tomah Botanic Garden
, where it was noted to demand very good drainage as well as shelter, and be somewhat exacting in its requirements. It is slow growing.
Proteaceae
Proteaceae is a family of flowering plants distributed in the Southern Hemisphere. The family comprises about 80 genera with about 1600 species. Together with the Platanaceae and Nelumbonaceae they make up the order Proteales. Well known genera include Protea, Banksia, Embothrium, Grevillea,...
family found in warm-temperate rainforest of south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales in eastern Australia.
Description
The Dorrigo waratah is a rainforest tree which reaches 25 m (80 ft) high and a trunk of 1.5 m (5 ft) diameter at breast heightDiameter at breast height
Diameter at breast height, or DBH, is a standard method of expressing the diameter of the trunk or bole of a standing tree. DBH is one of the most common dendrometric measurements....
. The shiny leaves are alternately arranged along the stem, and up to 30 cm (12 in) long. Compound, they are pinnate with 2–11 leaflets. The pinkish-red flowers are up to 20 cm (8 cm) across in spring to summer, and contain between 50 and 140 smaller flowers.
Taxonomy
First described as a variety of what was then known as Embothrium wickhamii by Joseph MaidenJoseph Maiden
Joseph Henry Maiden was a botanist who made a major contribution to knowledge of the Australian flora, especially the Eucalyptus genus. This botanist is denoted by the author abbreviation Maiden when citing a botanical name.Joseph Maiden was born in St John's Wood, London...
and Ernst Betche in 1911 after a collection by J.L.Boorman, the Dorrigo waratah was raised to species status and reclassified as Oreocallis pinnata by Dutch botanist Hermann Otto Sleumer
Hermann Otto Sleumer
Hermann Otto Sleumer was a Dutch botanist of German birth. The plant genera Sleumerodendron Virot and Sleumeria Utteridge, Nagam. & Teo , are named for him....
in 1954. With the recognition of the distinctness of the Australian members of the genus Oreocallis
Oreocallis
Oreocallis is a genus in the family Proteaceae. There is only one species, O. grandiflora. This plant is native to mountainous regions in Peru and Ecuador in South America....
and their reallocation to the new genus Alloxylon
Alloxylon
Alloxylon is a genus of five species in the Proteaceae family of mainly small to medium-sized trees. They are native to the eastern coast of Australia, with one species, A. brachycarpum found in New Guinea and the Aru Islands. The genus is a relatively new creation, being split off from Oreocallis...
, it was given its current binomial name of Alloxylon pinnatum in 1991 by Peter Weston and Mike Crisp of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney. The species name refers to the pinnate leaves. Aside from Dorrigo Waratah, it has also been called the Dorrigo oak, red silky oak, tree waratah, pink silky oak, red oak, Queensland waratah, and waratah oak.
Alloxylon pinnatum and the other two tree waratah species lie in the subtribe Embothriinae, along with the true waratahs (Telopea
Telopea
Telopea can refer to:*A genus of shrubs, usually known as Waratahs.*Telopea , a botanical journal named after the genus.*Telopea, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney, Australia.*Telopea Park School...
), and Oreocallis
Oreocallis
Oreocallis is a genus in the family Proteaceae. There is only one species, O. grandiflora. This plant is native to mountainous regions in Peru and Ecuador in South America....
and Chilean firetree (Embothrium coccineum
Embothrium coccineum
Chilean firetree, Chilean firebush, Notro in Spanish , is a small evergreen tree in the family Proteaceae. It grows in the temperate forests of Chile and Argentina....
) from South America. Almost all these species have red terminal flowers, and hence the subtribe's origin and floral appearance most likely predates the splitting of Gondwana
Gondwana
In paleogeography, Gondwana , originally Gondwanaland, was the southernmost of two supercontinents that later became parts of the Pangaea supercontinent. It existed from approximately 510 to 180 million years ago . Gondwana is believed to have sutured between ca. 570 and 510 Mya,...
into Australia, Antarctica, and South America over 60 million years ago.
Distribution and habitat
The Dorrigo waratah is found in warm-temperate rainforest from altitudes of 700 to 1250 m (2200–4000 ft) along the McPherson RangeMcPherson Range
The McPherson Range is an extensive mountain range, a spur of the Great Dividing Range, heading in an easterly direction from near Wallangarra to the Pacific Ocean coastline. It forms part of the Scenic Rim on the border between the states of New South Wales and Queensland. Further west of the...
in south-east Queensland and the Dorrigo Plateau
Dorrigo Plateau
Dorrigo Plateau is a plateau in northern New South Wales, which forms part of the Great Dividing Range. The plateau is sometimes referred to as the Dorrigo & Guy Fawkes Plateau....
in northern New South Wales, with dominant tree species such as coachwood (Ceratopetalum apetalum) and Antarctic beech (Nothofagus moorei
Nothofagus moorei
Nothofagus moorei, is an important Gondwana relict of the rainforests of the southern hemisphere. It occurs in wet, fire free areas at high altitude in eastern Australia....
). In Queensland it is associated with golden sassafras (Doryphora sassafras
Doryphora sassafras
Doryphora sassafras, commonly known as Sassafras, Yellow-, Canary- or Golden sassafras, or Golden Deal, is a species of evergreen tree of the family Atherospermataceae native to the subtropical and temperate rainforests of eastern New South Wales and Queensland, Australia...
) and native crabapple (Schizomeria ovata
Schizomeria ovata
Schizomeria ovata, a medium to large Australian rainforest tree, is widespread in warm-temperate rainforest in coastal New South Wales north from Narooma and southern Queensland south from Fraser Island...
). It commonly grows on southern aspects of hills and slopes.
It is classified as 3RCa under the Rare or Threatened Australian Plant (ROTAP
ROTAP
Rare or Threatened Australian Plants, usually abbreviated to ROTAP, is a list of rare or threatened Australian plant taxa. Developed and maintained by the CSIRO, the most recent edition lists 5031 taxa. The list uses a binary coding system based on the IUCN Red List categories for "Presumed...
) criteria for threatened species.
Cultivation
Its bright, prominently displayed flowers and bird-attracting properties make it a desirable garden plant. It reaches only about 6–10 m (20–35 ft) in cultivation, but has proven difficult to grow. Alloxylon pinnatum has been successfully cultivated at the Australian National Botanic GardensAustralian National Botanic Gardens
The Australian National Botanic Gardens are located in Canberra and are administered by the Australian Government's Department of the Environment and Heritage....
in Canberra in sheltered position in part-shade with a thick layer of mulch. It is propagated most easily by seed, which is ripe from February to June and keeps for twelve months or so. It has also been grown at Mount Tomah Botanic Garden
Mount Tomah Botanic Garden
Mount Tomah Botanic Garden is a 28 hectare public garden approximately 100 km west of Sydney in the Blue Mountains, established in 1972. There is an additional 128 hectares of land dedicated to conservation. The garden is 1000 m above sea level, and it specializes in cool-climate plants that would...
, where it was noted to demand very good drainage as well as shelter, and be somewhat exacting in its requirements. It is slow growing.