Botanical art
Common names
Wiry Bauera
Etymology
Bauera named after Ferdinand Bauer (1760-1826), an Austrian botanical artists who accompanied Robert Brown and his brother Francis Bauer to Australia between 1758 and 1840. Rubioides means resembling the genus Rubia (from the Latin 'ruber' meaning red), alluding to the pink flowers resembling some species of the genus Rubia .
Distribution and status
Found on Kangaroo Island and in the southern Mount Lofty Ranges in South Australia, growing in damp heathland and heathy forests. Also found in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. Native. Rare in South Australia. Rare in Queensland. Common in the other states.
Herbarium regions: Southern Lofty, Kangaroo Island
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Scrambling, wiry or tangled shrub to 2 m high, young stems hairy. Leaves in swirl, leaflets lanceolate, to 10 mm long and 5 mm wide, sometimes serrate or with a few teeth, hairy when young. Flowers to 20 mm wide, on fine, long hairy stalk to 3 cm long, with pink or white flower. Flowering between September to January. Fruits are brown capsule to 3 mm long and 5 mm wide, opening in 2 valves.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between December and March. Collect mature capsules, those that are turning a pale straw colour and contain hard seeds. Place the capsules in a tray and leave to dry for one weeks. Then rub the capsules gently by hand to dislodge the seeds. Use a sieve to separate the unwanted material. Store the seeds with a desiccant such as dried silica beads or dry rice, in an air tight container in a cool and dry place.
| Location | No. of seeds (weight grams) | Number of plants | Date collected | Collection number Collection location | Date stored | % Viability | Storage temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JRG862 | |||||||
| MSB | 3,300 (2.095 g) | 50+ | 14-Nov-2006 | DJD666 Kangaroo Island |
Number of plants: This is the number of plants from which the seeds were collected.
Collection location: The Herbarium of South Australia's region name.
% Viability: Percentage of filled healthy seeds determined by a cut test or x-ray.