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Fagraea cambagei
Species of flowering plant From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Fagraea cambagei, commonly known as porcelain fruit, pink jitta, or yellowheart,[1] is a plant in the family Gentianaceae which is endemic to rainforested parts of coastal northeast Queensland, Australia.
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Description
This is an evergreen tree growing up to 20 m (66 ft) in height,[4][5] and the trunk of the tree is often marked with a plaited or woven pattern (see gallery).[6] The leaves are simple (i.e., without lobes or divisions) with an opposite arrangement. They are held on thick petioles (stems) measuring between 2 and 3.5 cm (0.79 and 1.38 in) long, they are elliptic to obovate in outline, and they measure up to 23 by 9 cm (9.1 by 3.5 in).[4][5][6]
The inflorescence is a terminal panicle with up to 30 fragrant bell-shaped flowers.[4][5][6] They measure up to 5 cm (2.0 in) long with five cream-coloured petals, and may occur at any time of year.[5] The fruit is, in botanical terms, a berry up to 3.5 by 4.5 cm (1.4 by 1.8 in), white, pink or red and with a shiny appearance that gives rise to the common name "porcelain fruit".[4][5][6] They may or may not contain seeds, which are about 7 mm (0.28 in) long.[4][5][6]
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Taxonomy
Fagraea cambagei was first described in 1928 by the Czech botanist Karel Domin, and published in the journal Bibliotheca Botanica.[2][3] Up until early 2023, Plants of the World Online had misapplied the name Fagraea gracilipes to this species.[6][5]
Etymology
The genus name Fagraea was coined by Carl Peter Thunberg in honour of the botanist and physician Jonas Theodor Fagraeus.[5] Domin created the species epithet cambagei in honour of the Australian botanist and surveyor Richard Hind Cambage.[5]
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Distribution and habitat
The porcelain fruit grows as an understory tree in well developed coastal or sub-coastal rainforest, often in very waterlogged habitats such as swamps and close to creeks. Its range extends from near Rossville south to the area around Innisfail, and from sea level to 500 m (1,600 ft).[4][5][6]
Conservation
This species is listed by the Queensland Department of Environment and Science as least concern.[1] As of 5 May 2023[update], it has not been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Gallery
Trunk with distinctive "plaited" appearance
Pink fruit
Flower buds
White fruit
Habit
References
External links
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