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Lumnitzera

Common Names

Black Mangroves [1]

Family

Combretaceae

Name Reference

Lumnitzera Willd.

Origin of Name

Named in honour of the German botanist, Stefani Lumnitzer (1750-1806), who pioneered the systematic description of Central European plants ( [1]).

Summary

2 species and 1 hybrid in Australia

Genus Feature - Flat, spatule-like leaves with emarginate tips ( [1]).

Description

Lumnitzera Willd. (1803) is a member of the moderately large tropical woody family, the Combretaceae R.Br., of some 20 genera and 500 species. The family is characterised by flowers with an inferior, uni-locular ovary with usually two pendulous ovules, a well-developed floral disc, and one-seeded, drupe-like fruit (pseudocarp) without endosperm. Three genera, Laguncularia C.F.Gaertn., Conocarpus L. and Lumnitzera, are found typically in mangroves. Lumnitzera is the only one of these to occur in the Indo-West Pacific mangroves, including Australia. These genera are close relatives of an Australian upland genus, Macropteranthes F.Muell. ex Benth. Lumnitzera has two species of similar vegetative appearance, although they differ strikingly in flower colour. As such, L. littorea has red flowers and L. racemosa has white flowers. There is a rare, reportedly sterile hybrid, L. X rosea, with pink flowers and other intermediate characters ( [1]).

Distribution

Lumnitzera is an Indo-West Pacific mangrove genus distributed from East Africa to the Western Pacific including Fiji and Tonga, and northern Australia. One species, L. racemosa, dominates the western part of this range, while L. littorea dominates the eastern part. Hybrid occurrences occur within the central zone of overlap between parent species ( [1]).

Key to Lumnitzera species of Australia

Two species and one hybrid form of Lumnitzera are recognised in mangroves of Australia. They are distinguished by petal colour, inflorescence position and position of the style within the flower corolla ( [1]).
1 Inflorescence axillary, style central, petals white, stamens equal or slightly exceeding petals, shrub or small tree to 8 m Lumnitzera racemosa
1* Inflorescence terminal, style off-centre 2
2 Petals pink, stamens equal or slightly exceeding petals Lumnitzera X rosea
2* Petals red, stamens twice as long as petals Lumnitzera littorea
-- NormDuke and EmmaClifton - 15 Feb 2011

References

  1. Duke, N. (2011). Mangroves of Australia. Manuscript. Vers.: 27 Sept 2011. (more)

Biological Interactions
Relation Taxon GroupSorted ascending
HasEpiphyte Graphis_gonimica Lichens
HasEpiphyte Graphis_streimannii Lichens
HasEpiphyte Pertusaria_thiospoda Lichens
HasEpiphyte Pyxine_retirugella Lichens
PreyOf Amyema_mackayensis Vascular_Plants

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