Floydia
{{Short description|Monotypic genus in the plant family Proteaceae}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Use Australian English|date=October 2023}}
{{Speciesbox
|image = Floydia praealta flowerEDITED.JPG
|image_caption = Flower & leaves
|status = VU
|status_system = EPBC
|status_ref = {{R|PLANTNET}}
|status2 = VU
|status2_system = QLDNCA
|status2_ref = {{R|DESQLD}}
|display_parents = 4
|genus = Floydia
|parent_authority = L.A.S.Johnson & B.G.Briggs{{R|JOHNSON}}
|species = praealta
|authority = (F.Muell.) L.A.S.Johnson & B.G.Briggs{{R|JOHNSON|APNI}}
}}
Floydia is a monotypic genus of plants in the Proteaceae family endemic to Australia. The sole described species is Floydia praealta, commonly known as the ball nut. It is a somewhat rare tree found only growing in the rainforests of southeastern Queensland and northeastern New South Wales. The tree has a superficial resemblance to the closely related Macadamia and could be confused with them. The fruit is poisonous.
Description
Floydia praealta is a tree growing to {{cvt|30|m}} tall with a trunk up to {{cvt|60|cm}} diameter. The leaves are mid-green, shiny, glabrous and stiff.{{R|PLANTNET|DESQLD}} They measure up to {{cvt|25|cm}} long by {{cvt|3|cm}} wide and are held on a petiole up to {{cvt|1.2|cm}} long.{{R|PLANTNET|DESQLD}} There are between 10 and 28 pairs of secondary veins and a densely reticulate tertiary venation which are all obvious on both surfaces.{{R|PLANTNET|DESQLD}}
The inflorescence is a raceme up to {{cvt|20|cm}} long carrying numerous cream flowers in pairs. The flowers have 4 hairy tepals and are up to {{cvt|1.7|cm}} long.{{R|DESQLD|RPOA}} The fruit is a globular, woody follicle around {{cvt|3|or|4|cm}} diameter.{{R|PLANTNET|DESQLD|RPOA}}
Taxonomy
The species was formally described in 1862 by Victorian Government Botanist Ferdinand von Mueller based on plant material collected near the Clarence River in northern New South Wales and the Brisbane River in Queensland. In his publication Fragmenta phytographiæ Australiæ Mueller named the plant Helicia praealta. The species was transferred to the genus Macadamia in 1901 by Queensland Colonial Botanist Frederick Manson Bailey and then to Floydia in 1975 by Lawrie Johnson and Barbara Briggs.{{R|PLANTNET|APNI}}
Gallery
File:Floydia praealta 233900663.jpg|Foliage
File:Floydiaprealtarbg1.JPG|Trunk
File:Floydiaprealtarbg2.JPG|Foliage
References
{{Reflist|refs=
{{cite web |url=https://apps.des.qld.gov.au/species-search/details/?id=13202 |title=Species profile—Floydia praealta |year=2022 |website=Queensland Department of Environment and Science |publisher=Queensland Government |access-date=23 October 2023}}
{{cite web |url=https://id.biodiversity.org.au/name/apni/105123 |title=Floydia |website=Australian Plant Name Index (APNI) |publisher=Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government |access-date=3 April 2023}}
}}
External links
- {{Wikispecies-inline |Floydia praealta|Floydia praealta}}
- {{Commons category-inline ||Floydia praealta}}
- [https://avh.ala.org.au/occurrences/search?taxa=Floydia+praealta#tab_mapView View a map] of recorded sightings of this species at the Australasian Virtual Herbarium
- [https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?subview=map&taxon_id=554187 View observations] of this species on iNaturalist
- [https://flickriver.com/search/Floydia+praealta See images] of this species on Flickriver
- [http://www.anbg.gov.au/proteaceae/PDF/floydia-praealta.pdf Botanical illustration (Australian National Botanic Gardens)]
{{Proteaceae genera}}
{{Taxonbar|from1=Q5462592|from2=Q18201409}}
Category:Flora of New South Wales
Category:Proteales of Australia
Category:Vulnerable flora of Australia
Category:Monotypic Proteaceae genera
Category:Taxa named by Ferdinand von Mueller
Category:Taxa named by Barbara G. Briggs