Rhaphidophora australasica
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Needle berry | |
|---|---|
 | |
| In rainforest near Cape Tribulation | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Alismatales |
| Family: | Araceae |
| Genus: | Rhaphidophora |
| Species: | R. australasica |
| Binomial name | |
| Rhaphidophora australasica | |
 | |
| Synonyms[3] | |
Rhaphidophora australasica, commonly known as needle berry, is a plant in the arum family Araceae that is only found in the Wet Tropics bioregion of northeastern Queensland, Australia. It is a semi-epiphytic, robust, herbaceous, root climber reaching about 30 m (98 ft) tall. The dark green leaves are oblanceolate to elliptic and measure up to 40 cm (16 in) long by 14 cm (5.5 in) wide. The inflorescence is a spadix about 6–8 cm (2.4–3.1 in) long, enclosed in a spathe about 13 cm (5.1 in) long.[4][5]
This species was first described in 1897 by the Australian botanist Frederick Manson Bailey, and published in the Queensland Agricultural Journal.[2]
Distribution and habitat
Conservation
This species is listed by the Queensland Government's Department of Environment, Science and Innovation as least concern.[1] As of 1 April 2024[update], it has not been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
