Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants - Online edition

Pouzolzia zeylanica (L.) Benn.


Herb (herbaceous or woody, under 1 m tall)
Shrub (woody or herbaceous, 1-6 m tall)
Click/tap on images to enlarge
Flowers. © R.L. Barrett
Flowers. © G. Sankowsky
Leaves and Flowers. © CSIRO
Habit and leaves. © R.L. Barrett
Habit and leaves. © G. Sankowsky
Scale bar 10mm. © CSIRO
10th leaf stage. © CSIRO
Cotyledon stage, epigeal germination. © CSIRO
Family

Bennet, J.J. (1838) Plantae Javanicae Rariores 1 : 67.

Common name

Graceful Pouzolzbush; Pouzolzbush, Graceful

Stem

Usually flowers and fruits as a herb but occasionally grows into a shrub about 1 m tall.

Leaves

Leaf blades about 7.5-9.5 x 3-4.5 cm, petioles about 0.5-4.5 cm long. Stipules about 3-5 mm long, clothed in long white hairs.

Flowers

Flowers sessile, minute, less than 1 mm diam. Tepals about 0.9 x 1 mm. Anthers reniform, about 0.9 x 0.6 mm, reflexed in the bud. Filaments about 1-2 mm long.

Fruit

Fruits enclosed in the persistent, hairy perianth. Fruits pyriform, about 2.5 x 2 mm. Seeds about 2 x 1.8 mm, testa thin and glabrous. Cotyledons about 1 x 1.5 mm, broader than long, slightly cordate at the base. Radicle straight and thick, about 0.6 x 0.5 mm.

Seedlings

Cotyledons orbicular, about 7-8 mm diam. First pair of leaves opposite, leaf blades ovate, upper surface clothed in numerous 'glandular' humps and long, pale hairs. Stipules hairy. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade clothed in numerous 'glandular' humps on the upper surface and also strigose with a sparse covering of pale, broad-based hairs. Midrib and lateral veins depressed on the upper surface. Leaf blade 3-veined at the base. Seed germination time 244 days.

Distribution and Ecology

Occurs in WA, NT, CYP, NEQ and CEQ. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 550 m. Grows in rain forest and monsoon forest. Also occurs in Asia and Malesia.

Natural History & Notes

This species may have medicinal properties.

This species has been used medicinally in Malaysia and Indonesia. Cribb (1981).

Synonyms
Pouzolzia indica var. alienata (L.) Wedd., Archives du Museum d'Histoire Naturelle 9 : 399(1856). Parietaria zeylanica L., Species Plantarum : 1052(1753), Type: Ceylon, P. Hermann; holo: BM. Pouzolzia arnhemica F.Muell., Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae 4: 87(1864), Type: Northern Territory, Victoria River, F. Mueller & Wilson; holo: ?. Parietaria indica L., Mant. Pl. 1: 128(1767), Type: Asia, collector unknown. Pouzolzia indica (L.) Wight, Icones Plantarum Indiae Orientales 6 : 43(1853).
RFK Code
3132
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