Boronia

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Boronia
Boronia fraseri Glenbrook.jpg
Boronia fraseri at the Glenbrook Native Plant Reserve, NSW
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Rutaceae
Subfamily: Zanthoxyloideae
Genus: Boronia
Sm. [1]
Species

About 160; see List of Boronia species

Boronia is a genus of about 160 species of flowering plants in the citrus family Rutaceae. Most are endemic to Australia with a few species in New Caledonia, which were previously placed in the genus Boronella. They occur in all Australian states but the genus is under review and a number of species are yet to be described or have the description published. Boronias are similar to familiar plants in the genera Zieria , Eriostemon and Correa but can be distinguished from them by the number of petals or stamens. Some species have a distinctive fragrance and are popular garden plants.

Contents

Description

Plants in the genus Boronia are nearly always shrubs although a very small number occur as herbs or as small trees. The leaves are usually arranged in opposite pairs and may be simple leaves or compound leaves with up to nineteen or more leaflets, in either a pinnate or bipinnate arrangement. The flowers are arranged in groups in the leaf axils or on the ends of the branches and have both male and female parts. There are usually four separate sepals, usually four separate petals and generally eight stamens. (In Zieria there are only four stamens, Eriostemon species have five petals and in Correa the petals are joined to form a bell-shaped tube.) There are four carpels with their styles fused and there are two ovules in each carpel. [2] [3]

Boronia algida in Mount Buffalo National Park Boronia algida.jpg
Boronia algida in Mount Buffalo National Park
Boronia imlayensis in Mount Imlay National Park Boronia Mt Imlay2.JPG
Boronia imlayensis in Mount Imlay National Park

Taxonomy and naming

The genus Boronia was first formally described in 1798 by James Edward Smith and the description was published in Tracts Relating to Natural History. [4] The name Boronia honours Francesco Borone (1769 - 1794), Italian naturalist and plant collector, who assisted John Sibthorp in Greece and Turkey, Adam Afzelius in Sierra Leone and James Edward Smith during his European tour in 1787. [5] [6] [7]

Boronia, an outer suburb of Melbourne in Australia was named after a boronia found growing in the area.

Distribution and habitat

Boronias are found in all states and mainland territories of Australia and generally grow in open forests or woodlands, only rarely in rainforests or arid areas. [2] [3]

Use in horticulture

Boronias, especially B. megastigma , are known for their perfumed flowers. Most are regarded as desirable specimens in the garden, however, many are difficult to grow in cultivation. All species require excellent drainage and part shade. [8]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Correa</i> (plant) Genus of flowering plants

Correa is a genus of eleven species of flowering plants in the family Rutaceae that are endemic to Australia. Plants in the genus Correa are shrubs to small trees with simple leaves arranged in opposite pairs, bisexual flowers with four sepals, four petals usually fused for most of their length and eight stamens.

<i>Eriostemon</i> Genus of flowering plants

Eriostemon is a genus of flowering plants of the family Rutaceae. It is native to eastern Australia and includes just two species, E. australasius and E. banksii. Eriostemon australasius, commonly known as pink wax flower, occurs between Fraser Island and Nowra and is a shrub of heathlands and low open woodlands. Eriostemon banksii is endemic to Cape York Peninsula and is a shrub or small tree occurring in heathland and rainforest margins.

<i>Crowea</i> Genus of flowering plants

Crowea is a genus of small evergreen shrubs in the family Rutaceae, sometimes known as waxflowers. There are three species and many subspecies and cultivars, all of which are popular as ornamentals because of their abundant, attractive flowers which often occur during autumn and winter. Crowea species are all endemic to Australia, where they occur in Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia.

<i>Zieria</i> Genus of flowering plants

Zieria is a genus of plants in the family, Rutaceae. About sixty species have been formally described, all of which are endemic to Australia except for one species which is found in New Caledonia. They occur in all Australian states except Western Australia but the genus is under review and a number of species are yet to be described or the description published. Zierias are similar to the better known genus Boronia but can be distinguished by the number of stamens in the flowers. The name Zieria honours the Polish botanist John Zier.

<i>Boronia pinnata</i> Species of flowering plant

Boronia pinnata is a plant in the citrus family, Rutaceae, and is endemic to New South Wales. It is an erect, woody shrub with pinnate leaves and groups of between three and forty pink flowers arranged in leaf axils. It flowers in spring and early summer and is found in coastal areas between Ballina and Jervis Bay.

<i>Boronia serrulata</i> Species of flowering plant

Boronia serrulata, commonly known as native rose or rose boronia, is a species of plant in the citrus family, Rutaceae, and is endemic to New South Wales, mainly in the Sydney basin. It is an erect, woody shrub with glabrous branchlets, simple, egg-shaped leaves with fine teeth on the edges, and bright pink, four-petalled flowers on the ends of the branchlets.

<i>Zieria smithii</i> Species of flowering plant

Zieria smithii, commonly known as sandfly zieria, lanoline bush or Smithian zieria, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to eastern and south-eastern Australia. It is a robust shrub with its leaves composed of three leaflets, and groups of flowers with four white petals, the groups usually shorter than the leaves. It is common and widespread along the coast and adjacent ranges.

<i>Zieria aspalathoides</i> Species of flowering plant

Zieria aspalathoides, commonly known as the whorled zieria, heath zieria, hairy zieria or heathy zieria, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a heath-like shrub with leaves that appear to be whorled and with pink flowers in groups of three, each with four petals and four stamens.

<i>Zieria prostrata</i> Species of flowering plant

Zieria prostrata commonly known as headland zieria, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to the Coffs Harbour district in New South Wales. It is a prostrate shrub with leaves composed of three leaflets, and flowers with four pink to white petals. It is only known from four headlands and is classified as an endangered species.

<i>Boronia ledifolia</i> Species of flowering plant

Boronia ledifolia, commonly known as the Sydney boronia, showy boronia or ledum boronia, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a shrub with simple or pinnate leaves which have a strong odour when crushed, and pale to bright pink flowers. Although difficult to propagate, this boronia is a popular garden plant.

<i>Boronia crenulata</i> Species of flowering plant

Boronia crenulata, commonly known as aniseed boronia, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an open-branched shrub, often trailing between other plants, has strap-like leaves and pink to purple-red, four-petalled flowers in winter and autumn.

<i>Zieria adenodonta</i> Species of flowering plant

Zieria adenodonta, commonly known as the Wollumbin zieria, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a dense, bushy shrub with leaves composed of three leaflets which are warty on the upper surface. In winter and early spring it has groups of five to eight flowers, each with four white petals, the groups usually shorter than the leaves.

<i>Zieria minutiflora</i> Species of flowering plant

Zieria minutiflora, commonly known as twiggy zieria, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a small, erect, twiggy shrub with leaves composed of three leaflets, and clusters of small white flowers with four petals and four stamens. It usually grows as an understorey shrub in eucalypt woodland.

<i>Zieria cytisoides</i> Species of flowering plant

Zieria cytisoides, commonly known as the downy zieria, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a bushy shrub with three-part, clover-like leaves and small clusters of pale to deep pink flowers with four petals and four stamens.

Zieria inexpectata is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and endemic to south-eastern Queensland. It is a small, compact shrub with erect, wiry branches, three-part leaves and groups of up to twelve white flowers, the groups longer than the leaves and the flowers with four petals and four stamens. It was unexpectedly discovered by the authors during a field trip and its discovery led to a paper describing the zierias of Queensland, including sixteen new species.

Zieria laxiflora, commonly known as wallum zieria, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is an erect shrub with leaves composed of three leaflets, and clusters of about nine white or pale pink flowers with four petals and four stamens. It usually grows is coastal heathland.

<i>Zieria southwellii</i> Species of shrub

Zieria southwellii is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a large shrub or small tree with its leaves composed of three leaflets, and has groups of large numbers of flowers with four white petals, the groups shorter than the leaves. It grows near rainforest in northern New South Wales and far south-eastern Queensland.

<i>Zieria veronicea</i> Species of flowering plant

Zieria veronicea, commonly known as the pink zieria, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a small, lemon-scented shrub densely covered with velvety hairs. Up to three flowers with four pink petals appear in leaf axils in late spring.

<i>Boronia parviflora</i> Species of plant

Boronia parviflora, commonly known as the swamp boronia, small boronia, tiny boronia, or small-flowered boronia, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic south-eastern Australia. It is a weak, low shrub with elliptic to egg-shaped leaves with finely toothed edges and up to three pink, white or green four-petalled flowers arranged at or near the ends of the stems.

<i>Cyanothamnus polygalifolius</i> Species of flowering plant

Cyanothamnus polygalifolius, commonly known as dwarf boronia, milkwort-leaved boronia or milkwort boronia, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a low-lying shrub with simple leaves and white or pink flowers arranged singly or in groups of up to three in leaf axils.

References

  1. "Boronia". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  2. 1 2 Weston, Peter H.; Duretto, Marco. "Genus Boronia". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney: plantnet. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  3. 1 2 "The Boronia family". Australian Native Plants Society Australia. Archived from the original on 13 April 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  4. "Boronia". APNI. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  5. Smith, James Edward (1798). "Tracts relating to natural history, pp. 301-305" . Retrieved 28 May 2018.
  6. "Boronia Sm". APNI. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  7. Quattrocchi, Umberto (1999). CRC world dictionary of plant names : common names, scientific names, eponyms, synonyms, and etymology. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press. p. 327. ISBN   0849326737.
  8. "The Boronia Family - cultivation". Australian Native Plants Society Australia. Archived from the original on 13 April 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2016.