Xylomelum pyriforme
{{short description|Species of plant in the family Proteaceae native to eastern Australia}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Woody pear
| image = Woody Pear Muogamarra.jpg
| image_caption = Woody pear at Muogamarra Nature Reserve, Australia
| genus = Xylomelum
| species = pyriforme
| authority = (Gaertn.) Knight{{APNI | name = Xylomelum pyriforme | id =261794 }}
}}
File:Xylomelum pyriforme new growth.jpg
Xylomelum pyriforme, commonly known as the woody pear, is a species of plant in the family Proteaceae native to eastern Australia. It grows as a large shrub or small tree to five metres high.
Taxonomy
Xylomelum pyriforme was first documented at Botany Bay in 1770 by Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander,{{cite book|title=A companion to Mr. Bullock's London museum and pantherion|last=Bullock|first=William|page=10|publisher=Whittingham and Rowland|year=1813}} who gave it the (unpublished) binomial name Leucadendroides pyrifera in Banks' Florilegium.{{cite journal |last1=Diment |first1=Judith A. |author-link1=Judith Diment |last2=Humphries |first2=Christopher J. |author-link2=Chris Humphries |last3=Newington |first3=Linda |last4=Shaughnessy |first4=Elaine |journal=Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) |series=Historical Series |title=Catalogue of the Natural History drawings commissioned by Joseph Banks on the Endeavour Voyage 1768–1771 held in the British Museum (Natural History) : Part 1: Botany: Australia |volume=11 (Complete) |pages=1–183 [146]|publisher=British Museum (Natural History) |publication-place=London |date=1984 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2355000 |doi=10.5962/p.310430|doi-access=free }} It was first formally described as Banksia pyriformis by German botanist Joseph Gaertner in 1788 in De Fructibus et Seminibus Plantarum.{{APNI | name = Banksia pyriformis | id =55169}} It was given its current name in 1809 by the gardener Joseph Knight in his On the cultivation of the plants belonging to the natural order of Proteeae. The species name "pear-shaped" is derived from the Latin words pyrus "pear" and forma "shape".{{cite book|author = Simpson DP| title = Cassell's Latin Dictionary | publisher = Cassell Ltd.| year = 1979|edition = 5|location = London| isbn=0-304-52257-0}}
Description
Xylomelum pyriforme grows as a large shrub or small tree, usually reaching {{convert|4|–|5|m|ft|abbr=on}} high,{{Flora of Australia Online|name=Xylomelum pyriforme|id=45190}} although trees to {{convert|15|m|ft|abbr=on}} have been recorded in the Howes Valley northwest of Sydney.{{cite journal|author1=Benson, Doug |author2=McDougall, Lyn |year=2000 |title=Ecology of Sydney Plant Species Part 7b: Dicotyledon families Proteaceae to Rubiaceae |journal=Cunninghamia |volume=6 |issue=4 |pages=1017–1202 [1129] |url=http://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/58220/Cun6Ben1016.pdf |archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20090627040701/http://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/58220/Cun6Ben1016.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=2009-06-27 }} The large juvenile leaves have dentate (toothed) margins with 6 to 11 teeth along each edge, while the adult leaves have entire margins. The prominently veined leaves measure {{convert|10|to|20|cm|in|abbr=on}} and are up to {{convert|5|cm|in|abbr=on}} wide. They are glabrous (smooth) and dark green. New growth is covered in a fine rust-coloured fur.{{NSW Flora Online|genus=Xylomelum|species=pyriforme|author= Gwen J. Harden}} Flowering takes place from September to November, peaking in October. The inflorescences measure {{convert|5|to|8|cm|in|abbr=on}} and are rusty coloured. Flowers are followed by the development of the large, woody, pear-shaped seed pod which is up to {{convert|9|cm|in|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|5|cm|in|abbr=on}} wide.
Distribution and habitat
The plant's range is from the New South Wales mid-north coast south to Mittagong, with an outlying record from the vicinity of Cooma. Xylomelum pyriforme grows on plateau and ridges in nutrient-poor well-drained sandstone soils in open eucalypt woodland. It is associated with such species as yellow bloodwood (Corymbia eximia), red bloodwood (C. gummifera), scribbly gum (Eucalyptus haemastoma), silvertop ash (E. sieberi), brown stringybark (E. capitellata), grey gum (E. punctata) and scribbly gum (E. sclerophylla).
Ecology
Xylomelum pyriforme regenerates from a lignotuber or epicormic buds after bushfires, and can sucker from the roots. It is one of a number of Australian species that require a fire to open and disperse their seeds.
{{cite book|last=Lüttge|first=Ulrich|page=[https://archive.org/details/physiologicaleco00lutt/page/n337 328]|title=Physiological ecology of tropical plants|url=https://archive.org/details/physiologicaleco00lutt|url-access=limited|publisher=Springer|year=2008|isbn=978-3-540-71792-8}}
The fungus Giugnardia causes leaf spot, while Cephaleutos virescens is responsible for an algal leaf spot.
Cultivation and uses
Rarely seen in cultivation due to the scarcity of seed, Xylomelum pyriforme seedlings grow readily but commonly quickly succumb to damping off. A plant may take 20 years to reach flowering stage from seed.{{cite web|url=http://anpsa.org.au/x-pyr.html|title=Xylomelum pyriforme|last=Walters, Brian|year=2007|work=Australian Native Plants Society website|publisher=Australian Native Plants Society (Australia)|access-date=16 August 2011}}
Early European settlers of Australia used the tree's wood to make gun stocks.{{cite book|title=Excursions in New South Wales, Western Australia, and Van Dieman's Land: during the years 1830, 1831, 1832, and 1833|last=Breton|first=William Henry|publisher=R. Bentley|year=1833}}
File:Woody Pear Long Track.jpg|new leaves
File:X pyriforme flowers Henry Head orig.jpg|habit
File:Xylomelum pyriforme.jpg|illustration by Edward Minchen
References
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{{Taxonbar|from=Q8045461}}
Category:Proteales of Australia