Grevillea pteridifolia (PROSEA)
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Introduction |
Grevillea pteridifolia Knight
- Family: Proteaceae
Synonyms
- Grevillea chrysodendron R. Br.
Vernacular names
- Scarlet grevillea (En).
Distribution
Native to the northern parts of western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland, introduced into India and undergoing testing in several countries in South-East Asia and Africa.
Uses
G. pteridifolia yields fuelwood and poles. It is an effective wind-break. Prunings provide fodder for goats. Dried foliage has been used as an elastic stuffing for mattresses.
Observations
- Small tree, up to 5-6 m tall. Branches hairy with alternate pinnate leaves, 25-45 cm long.
- Leaves deeply pinnatifid or pinnate, coriaceous; segments broadly linear to lanceolate, glabrous above, silky beneath.
- Inflorescence a terminal raceme, dense, secund, 5-10 cm long.
- Flowers yellow-orange; perianth tomentose outside, glabrous inside, tube 13-20 mm × 3-4 mm.
- Fruit an oblique, coriaceous follicle, dehiscing on one side, 1-2-seeded.
Flowering occurs year-round in Java and Peninsular Malaysia. G. pteridifolia is suitable for planting on wasteland soils with a texture varying from pulverized lateritic soil to sandy loam, including loose soils on dumps of coal and bauxite mines, where it regenerates spontaneously. It requires a mean annual rainfall of 1000-1500 mm, and is found from 250-2000 m altitude. It tolerates some frost and can withstand a dry season of 6-8 months. Propagation is usually by seed that has been soaked in water for 24 hours. Germination takes 25-30 days. Seedlings are ready for planting when they are 10-15 cm tall bearing 7-8 leaves. The coppicing ability of G. pteridifolia is poor.
Selected sources
- Boland, D.J. (Editor), 1989. Trees for tropics: growing multipurpose Australian trees and shrubs in developing countries. ACIAR Monograph No 10. Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra, Australia. 247 pp.
- Harwood, C.E. (Editor), 1992. Grevillea robusta in agroforestry and forestry: proceedings of an international workshop. International Centre for Research in Agroforestry, Nairobi, Kenya. 190 pp.
- Prasad, R. & Chadhar, S.K., 1987. Grevillea pteridifolia (syn. G. banksii) - a successful introduction to mined out areas of Madhya Pradesh, India. I. Botanical characteristics. Indian Forester 113(10): 670-674.
- Prasad, R. & Shukla, P.K., 1985. Restoration of ecological balance to the bauxite mined areas of Madhya Pradesh, India. Journal of Tropical Forestry 1(3): 236-245.
Authors
- M.S.M. Sosef & L.J.G. van der Maesen
