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Bleeding Heart Tree

Homalanthus populifolius Graham

Derivation of specific name

provided by Flora of Zimbabwe
populifolius: leaves resembling a poplar (Populus sp.)
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Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten and Petra Ballings
bibliographic citation
Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T. and Ballings, P. (2002-2014). Homalanthus populifolius Graham Flora of Zimbabwe website. Accessed 28 August 2014 at http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=135710
author
Mark Hyde
author
Bart Wursten
author
Petra Ballings
original
visit source
partner site
Flora of Zimbabwe

Description

provided by Flora of Zimbabwe
Glabrous tree, 2-4 m. Stipules caducous, leaving prominent scars. Leaves: petiole 3-9 cm, reddish; glands small, sessile; lamina 4-14 × 2-10 cm, ovate-rhombic to ovate-triangular, green above, glaucous beneath, turning red with age; apex acuminate; margin entire. Inflorescences 6-12 cm; bracts 1 mm, broadly ovate. Fruit 8-9 mm, dull green or grey-green ± smooth. Seeds smooth.
license
cc-by-nc
copyright
Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten and Petra Ballings
bibliographic citation
Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T. and Ballings, P. (2002-2014). Homalanthus populifolius Graham Flora of Zimbabwe website. Accessed 28 August 2014 at http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=135710
author
Mark Hyde
author
Bart Wursten
author
Petra Ballings
original
visit source
partner site
Flora of Zimbabwe

Frequency

provided by Flora of Zimbabwe
Local
license
cc-by-nc
copyright
Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten and Petra Ballings
bibliographic citation
Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T. and Ballings, P. (2002-2014). Homalanthus populifolius Graham Flora of Zimbabwe website. Accessed 28 August 2014 at http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=135710
author
Mark Hyde
author
Bart Wursten
author
Petra Ballings
original
visit source
partner site
Flora of Zimbabwe

Worldwide distribution

provided by Flora of Zimbabwe
Papua New Guinea and N and E Australia.
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cc-by-nc
copyright
Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten and Petra Ballings
bibliographic citation
Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T. and Ballings, P. (2002-2014). Homalanthus populifolius Graham Flora of Zimbabwe website. Accessed 28 August 2014 at http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=135710
author
Mark Hyde
author
Bart Wursten
author
Petra Ballings
original
visit source
partner site
Flora of Zimbabwe

Homalanthus populifolius

provided by wikipedia EN

Homalanthus populifolius, the bleeding heart, native poplar or Queensland poplar, is an Australian rainforest plant in the family Euphorbiaceae. It often appears in areas of rainforest disturbance. Bleeding heart is highly regarded by rainforest regenerators because of its fast growth and use as a pioneer species in rainforest regeneration.

Bleeding heart grows from the coastal border of New South Wales and Victoria (36° S), north to Coen, Queensland (13° S) in the tropics. It is also native to Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, and has been widely planted elsewhere.[1]

It is the host plant for Australia's largest moth, the Hercules moth (Coscinocera hercules).

Description

It is a small tree or shrub, up to 8 meters tall and 15 cm in diameter.

The trunk is cylindrical with greyish-brown bark, fairly smooth but with some bumps and irregularities. Branchlets appear thick, reddish or green. The leaves are triangular, not toothed and alternate, 5 to 15 cm long, and like those of a poplar (giving rise to the species epithet populifolius). The leaves turn red when senescent, hence the common name of bleeding heart.

Flowers are yellow green to red, 2 to 10 cm long. Appearing on racemes mostly in the months of September to December. The fruit matures from December to March, being a two-lobed capsule with an oily yellow aril. The seeds germinate quickly when the warmth of direct sunlight is available. However, as with many pioneer species, the seeds of the bleeding heart have a long dormancy period.

The fruit is eaten by a variety of birds, including brown cuckoo dove, silvereye and Lewin's honeyeater.

Uses

The small size and decorative red leaves make this an attractive garden plant. However, its characteristics as a pioneer species also make it a good invader in disturbed areas. It is regarded as an invasive species in southern Africa,[2] Hawaii[3] and New Zealand. The Sa’dan Toraja people crush the leaves with mud to create a black dye for funeral clothing

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References

  • Floyd, A.G., Rainforest Trees of Mainland South-eastern Australia, Inkata Press 1989, ISBN 0-909605-57-2
  1. ^ a b Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI).; IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group (2019). "Homalanthus populifolius". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T144310289A149052426. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T144310289A149052426.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. ^ FAO report: Status of Invasive Tree Species in Southern Africa
  3. ^ Homalanthus populifolius (Euphorbiaceae): HEAR Species Info
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Wikipedia authors and editors
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wikipedia EN

Homalanthus populifolius: Brief Summary

provided by wikipedia EN

Homalanthus populifolius, the bleeding heart, native poplar or Queensland poplar, is an Australian rainforest plant in the family Euphorbiaceae. It often appears in areas of rainforest disturbance. Bleeding heart is highly regarded by rainforest regenerators because of its fast growth and use as a pioneer species in rainforest regeneration.

Bleeding heart grows from the coastal border of New South Wales and Victoria (36° S), north to Coen, Queensland (13° S) in the tropics. It is also native to Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, and has been widely planted elsewhere.

It is the host plant for Australia's largest moth, the Hercules moth (Coscinocera hercules).

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cc-by-sa-3.0
copyright
Wikipedia authors and editors
original
visit source
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wikipedia EN