Buchanania arborescens
Buchanania arborescens | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Sapindales |
Family: | Anacardiaceae |
Genus: | Buchanania |
Species: | B. arborescens
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Binomial name | |
Buchanania arborescens | |
Synonyms | |
List
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Buchanania arborescens, commonly known as the little gooseberry tree[3] or sparrow's mango,[1] is a small and slender tree native to seasonal tropical forests of northern Australia, Southeast Asia, and the Solomon Islands.
The leaves are spirally arranged, smooth, leathery, elongated oblong, 5–26 cm long. The flowers are very small cream to yellowish white. The edible fruit are globular, small (1 cm long), reddish to purple-black. Torresian imperial pigeons and other birds eat these.[3]
The species was formally described in 1826 by botanist Carl Ludwig Blume based on plant specimens collected from Java. Initially naming it Coniogeton arborescens, Blume transferred the species to the genus Buchanania in 1850.[4]
In Australia the species occurs naturally across the northern extremities of the continent from Western Australia and across the Northern Territory to Queensland where it extends down the east coast as far south as Hinchinbrook Island.[3][5]
Uses
In culture
The tree is called balingasay in Tagalog, and in pre-colonial times were regarded as domains (dambana) of Lakan Balingasay, the anito of the tree and probably of insects (due to comparisons with Beelzebub in accounts by friars).[citation needed]
References
- ^ a b Ganesan, S. (2021). "Buchanania arborescens". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T61983514A61983516. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ "Buchanania arborescens (Blume) Blume". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
- ^ a b c F.A.Zich; B.P.M.Hyland; T.Whiffen; R.A.Kerrigan (2020). "Buchanania arborescens". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants Edition 8 (RFK8). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
- ^ "Buchanania arborescens (Blume) Blume". Flora of Australia Online. Department of the Environment and Heritage, Australian Government.
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
- ISBN 0-7316-0859-3
- ^ J. H. Maiden (1889). The useful native plants of Australia : Including Tasmania. Turner and Henderson, Sydney.
External links
- Data related to Buchanania arborescens at Wikispecies
- Media related to Buchanania arborescens at Wikimedia Commons
- "Buchanania arborescens (Blume) Blume". Atlas of Living Australia.