Graptophyllum ilicifolium

Taxobox
name = "Graptophyllum ilicifolium"
status = VU
status_system = QLDNCA

---

image_caption = "Graptophyllum ilicifolium"
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Lamiales
familia = Acanthaceae
genus = "Graptophyllum"
species = "G. ilicifolium"
binomial = "Graptophyllum ilicifolium"
binomial_authority = F. Muell.

"Graptophyllum ilicifolium", otherwise known as the Mount Blackwood Holly, is a large rainforest shrub which grows in granitic soils. It has shiny, dark green leaves which resemble those of the unrelated holly, and grows best in moist, semi-shaded, well-drained, well-mulched soils. The shrub grows to 5 metres in height and has leaves 7.5 to 10 centimetres long which are shiny, noticeably veined, dark green in colour and have a spinous margin. The flowers are red and in short clusters, each about 2 to 2.5 centimetres in length.

History

The species was originally collected from Mount Blackwood, north of Mackay, in the 1800’s and was part of a collection by Nernst which is now at the Melbourne Herbarium. In 1984, plants described in this collection were found in the Mount Blackwood and Mount Jukes areas. These were collected and identified to be Graptophyllum ilicifolium by the Queensland Herbarium.

After identification, the Mount Blackwood Holly was propagated and trialled by Society for Growing Australian Plants Mackay Branch members. It was offered to the general public in 1991 at the Australian Plant Spectacular, then adopted as the floral emblem of the Mackay Branch of the Society for Growing Australian Plants in 1992 and the Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens in 2003.

References:

* [http://www.mackayregionalbotanicgardens.com.au/what_can_i_see/the_mt_blackwood_holly_story Mackay Regional Botanical Gardens] accessed 6th, September 2006.

External links

* [http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/herbarium Queensland Herbarium]
* [http://www.anbg.gov.au/cgi-bin/apni Australian Plant Name Index]