Hoya australis

Hoya australis subsp. australis

Hoya australis is a species complex of the genus of the Wax Flower ( Hoya ) of the subfamily of milkweed plants ( Asclepiadoideae ).

Features

Hoya australis has overcome, succulent shoots that become woody, more or less in age. Young shoots are hairy, older bald. Most of the subspecies are climbing. The person sitting on about 2 cm long stems leaves are mostly succulent or leathery ( in subsp. Tenuipes ). The size of the sheets varies depending on the subtype of less than 5 cm in length ( subsp. sanae ) up to 15 cm in length. The leaf blade is elliptic, oblong oval to circular. The leaf margins are bent more or less depending on the subspecies. The inflorescence consists of up to 50 flowers and hangs. The stalk of the inflorescence is 1-3 cm long, glabrous or hairy. The flower stalks are 2-4 cm long, hairy sepals ovate to nearly triangular and little to tight. They are 1 to 5 mm long and 1-3 mm wide. The corolla measures about 1 to 2.5 cm in diameter; it is cream to white and colored red at the base. The crown tip are rounded oval, pointed at the end. The edges are each bent. They measure 5 to 19 mm x 3-7 mm. The corona is cream colored. The staminal corona tip are oval, concave on the top and is provided on the underside with a groove. The outer extension is approximately round, pointed, the inner extension. The spindle-shaped fruits measuring 9 and 13.5 cm in length and 1 to 1.5 cm in diameter. The seed is oblong ( 5-7 mm x 2-3 mm) with a 2.5 to 3 cm long tufts of hair.

Geographical occurrence

The species occurs in Indonesia, Australia, Fiji, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu.

System

Hoya australis is by Hoffmann et al. in Albers and Meve (2002) divided into five subspecies:

• Hoya australis subsp. australis, climbing, succulent, large sheets ( 15 x 12 cm) with edges slightly bent, hairy little to tight. Occurrence: Australia (Queensland, New South Wales), Samoa and Vanuatu.
• Hoya australis subsp. oramicola P.I.Forst. & Liddle, climbing, succulent leaves, longer than 5 cm, margin strongly bent, hairy little to tight. Occurrence: Australia ( Northern Territory )
• Hoya australis subsp. rupicola ( K.D.Hill ) P.I.Forst. & Liddle, not climbing, leaves strongly succulent, edges slightly bent, densely hairy. Occurrence: Australia ( Northern Territory )
• Hoya australis subsp. sanae ( FMBailey ) KDHill, climbing, succulent leaves, smaller than 5 cm, the margins are strongly bent, hairy little to tight. Occurrence: Australia (Queensland )
• Hoya australis subsp. tenuipes ( K.D.Hill ) P.I.Forst. & Liddle, climbing, leaves leathery, edges slightly bent, bald hairy to little. Distribution: Indonesia ( Irian Jaya ), Papua New Guinea, Australia ( Queensland), Fiji, Solomon Islands and Tonga.