Pavetta australiensis
| Pavetta australiensis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| At Diamond Beach | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Embryophytes |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Gentianales |
| Family: | Rubiaceae |
| Genus: | Pavetta |
| Species: | P. australiensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Pavetta australiensis | |
Pavetta australiensis, commonly known as butterfly bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rubiaceae, found in drier rainforest areas in northeastern Australia and Papua New Guinea.
Description
[edit]Pavetta australiensis is a small shrub up to about 5 m (16 ft) tall with leaves up to about 20 cm (7.9 in) long and 9 cm (3.5 in) wide. Fragrant white flowers are born in panicles at the ends of the twigs. The fruit is a small black drupe containing one or two seeds.[4][5]
Distribution and habitat
[edit]It grows as an understorey shrub in a variety of forest types including beach forest, rainforest and monsoon forest, at altitudes from sea level to about 1,000 m (3,300 ft). The southern limit of its range is the far northeastern corner of New South Wales, extending north along the coast and sub-coastal ranges of Queensland to the top of Cape York Peninsula and into New Guinea.[4][6][7]
Ecology
[edit]It is highly attractive to pollinators, especially butterflies, which is where is gets the name 'butterfly bush'. In Australia, it is viewed as a better alternative to introduced species, such as Buddleja davidii.[citation needed][original research?]
Etymology
[edit]The genus name pavetta is derived from the Sinhalese plant name Pawetta. The species epithet australiensis combines 'Australia' with the Latin suffix -ensis meaning 'from' or 'belonging to'.[5]
References
[edit]- ↑ "Pavetta australiensis". Wildnet. Queensland Government. 2025. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- ↑ "Pavetta australiensis". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- ↑ "Pavetta australiensis Bremek". Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2025. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- 1 2 F.A.Zich; B.P.M.Hyland; T.Whiffen; R.A.Kerrigan (2020). "Pavetta australiensis". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants Edition 8 (RFK8). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- 1 2 Cooper, Wendy; Cooper, William T. (June 2004). Fruits of the Australian Tropical Rainforest. Clifton Hill, Victoria, Australia: Nokomis Editions. p. 448. ISBN 978-0-9581742-1-3.
- ↑ S. McClune (1992). "Pavetta australiensis Bremek". PlantNET (The NSW Plant Information Network System). Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- ↑ "Pavetta australiensis Bremek". Atlas of Living Australia. National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS), Australian Government. Retrieved 7 October 2025.