Prionotes

Prionotes
Flower of Prionotes cerinthoides
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Ericaceae
Subfamily: Epacridoideae
Genus: Prionotes
Species: P. cerinthoides
Binomial name
Prionotes cerinthoides
Synonyms[1]
  • Epacris cerinthoides Labill.

Prionotes is a genus of flowering plants endemic to Tasmania, with a single species, Prionotes cerinthoides.[2] Prionotes cerinthoides, commonly known as climbing heath, is a temperate rainforest climber or a small scrambling shrub in the mountains. They usually live in very wet, undisturbed places.

Description[3][4]

Prionotes cerinthoides is a climbing shrub plant. Its wiry stem is about 1 meter long. The glossy and deep green leaves, which are 0.8–2 cm long, fairly crowded, elliptical in shape with shallowly-toothed margins, without parallel veins. The deep pink tubular flowers with 5 petals, bell shaped, are up to 2.5 cm long by about 1-1.2 cm wide and constricted at the mouth, pendent, often clustered, usually appears in summer and autumn. Fruit is woody capsule, capsule opening by 5 valves with many seeds in each part. P. cerinthoides is self-compatible and bird pollinated.

A group of Prionotes cerinthoides flower.

Habitat and Distribution

The plant family Ericaceae (heaths and heathers) is widespread in many parts of the globe, particularly Europe and South Africa. It contains a number of widely cultivated plants such as Erica, Rhododendron and Pieris. Like most of Australia's members of the Ericaceae, Prionotes belongs to the subfamily Epacridoideae, which was formerly classified as a separate family, the Epacridaceae. Prionotes consists of the single species, P.cerinthoides, which is endemic to Tasmania.[4] Prionotes cerinthoides is endemic to temperate rainforest, subalpine, and alpine plant communities in Tasmania, Australia.

Distribution of Prionotes cerinthoides from Atlas of Living Australia

Prionotes cerinthoides is a slender, perennial climbing or epiphytic shrub that can climb the trunk, especially the Nothofagus cunninghamii.[5]Prionotes cerinthoides is common in the rainforests of the west and south-west particularly montane areas and also occurs in alpine vegetation. This species grows best in acid soil (pH 4-5) and a cool, moist, shaded site is essential. It is sometimes referred to as the missing link between the family Epacridaceae (southern hemisphere heath family) and the Ericaceae (northern hemisphere heath family). The closest relative to Tasmania’s climbing heath is a species found in the rainforests of Chile.[6]

Prionotes cerinthoides depends largely on the pollination of a single native bird species, the eastern spinebill (Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris). The reproduction of Prionotes cerinthoides seems to be heavily dependent on a native bird species. Because the nectar and pollen of flower is sticky, Prionotes cerinthoides is not suitable for wind-pollination. At the same time, most bees rarely access this species due to the special shape of the corolla mouth. Currently, Prionotes cerinthoides is well preserved in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area and other national parks in Tasmania, which means habitat is not destroyed. The eastern spinebill, which can help pollination, is widely distributed.

Formerly placed here

  • Prionotes americana Hook., now included in Lebetanthus myrsinites
  • Prionotes myrsinites (Lam.) Skottsb., now Lebetanthus myrsinites
  • Prionotes secunda (R.Br.) Spreng., now Dracophyllum secundum[7]

References

  1. ↑ Atlas of Living Australia, retrieved 9 March 2016
  2. ↑ Tropicos.org, retrieved 9 March 2016
  3. ↑ "Prionotes cerinthoides". anpsa.org.au. Retrieved 2018-02-27.
  4. 1 2 "Prionotes cerinthoides -Alpine Garden Society - Plant Encyclopaedia". encyclopaedia.alpinegardensociety.net. Retrieved 2018-02-27.
  5. 1 2 Johnson, K.A.; McQuillan, P.B.; Kirkpatrick, J.B. (2010). "Bird pollination of the climbing heath Prionotes Cerinthoides (Ericaceae)". International Journal of Plant Sciences. 171: 147–157.
  6. ↑ "Parks & Wildlife Service - Species". www.parks.tas.gov.au. Retrieved 2018-02-27.
  7. ↑ National Species List, APNI/APC, Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria, retrieved 9 March 2016


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