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Species profile—Boronia safrolifera (safrole boronia)

Classification

Plantae (plants) → Equisetopsida (land plants) → RutaceaeBoronia safrolifera (safrole boronia)

Photo of Boronia safrolifera (safrole boronia) - Herbarium, Q.,Queensland Herbarium, DES (Licence: CC BY NC),1977
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Species details

Kingdom
Plantae (plants)
Class
Equisetopsida (land plants)
Family
Rutaceae
Scientific name
Boronia safrolifera Cheel
Common name
safrole boronia
WildNet taxon ID
13664
Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NCA) status
Least concern
Conservation significant
No
Confidential
No
Wetland status
Wetland Indicator Species
Endemicity
Native
Pest status
Nil
Description
Boronia safrolifera is a small, slender shrub growing to 2.5m. The branchlets are sparsely to moderately covered with fine hairs, becoming hairless with age. The leaves are pinnate (separate leaflets along each side of a common stalk) with 7-19 leaflets and the terminal leaflet shortest (2.5-7 mm long). The midrib is slightly winged and often curved, 2-4cm long. The leaflets are narrow elliptic to obovate (reverse egg-shaped), with a short pointed tip, the margins slightly toothed or entire and recurved (curved under). Leaflets have a paler lower surface, may be hairless or slightly hairy and measure 3-18mm long by 1-3.5mm wide.
Flowers are deep pink (occasionally pale or white) with petals 4.5-7mm long. Fruits are a compressed oblong shape, hairless and about 3-4.5mm long. (Stanley & Ross 1983; Duretto 2003; Weston & Duretto 2003)
Distribution
This species is known to occur in coastal areas from Bribie Island, Queensland to Port Stephens, New South Wales. (Stanlay & Ross 1983; Weston & Duretto 2003)
Distributional limits
-27.0342872, 153.0843943
-28.0900672, 153.5010596
Range derivation
Range derived from extent of the taxon's verified records
Habitat
Boronia safrolifera occurs in swamps or badly draining, wet, sandy areas in heath (wallum). (Stanley & Ross 1983)
Behaviour
When the leaves are crushed their odour is similar to that of safrole (an oily substance extracted from the fruit of the sassafras plant). (Stanley & Ross 1983)
Reproduction
Flowering occurs mainly from August to November, and sometimes in autumn. (Stanley & Ross 1983; Weston & Duretto 2003)
Notes
Contributors: Ailsa Holland, Mellisa Mayhew 27/01/2009
References
Duretto, M.F. (2003). Notes on Boronia (Rutaceae) in eastern and northern Australia. Muelleria 17: 19-135.
Stanley, T.D. & Ross, E.M. (1983). Flora of south-eastern Queensland (volume 1). Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Brisbane.
Weston, P.H. and Duretto, M.F. (2003). Boronia safrolifera, in PlantNet: New South Wales Flora Online. National Herbarium of New South Wales. Accessed 25/09/2008. http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/
Profile author
Ailsa Holland (27/01/2009)

Other resources

Data source

This profile data is sourced from the QLD Wildlife Data API using the Get species by ID function used under CC-By 4.0.
https://apps.des.qld.gov.au/species/?op=getspeciesbyid&taxonid=13664.

This information is sourced from the WildNet database managed by the Queensland Department of Environment and Science.

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Licence
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Last updated
20 May 2024