Helicia nortoniana

[Pedro 65]

Yes this tiny little flower is from the Proteaceae family,  its Helicia nortoniana  from the Daintree in FNQ, will look fro some more pics to take tomorrow.  Pete  

[tropicbreeze]

We have one species of Helicia native here, H. australasica (although at present this name is "unresolved"). I wouldn't mind growing it but it seems to prefer sheltered areas in monsoon rainforest and I already have enough high humidity plants that are difficult to get through our dry season.

Helicia australasica

[Pedro 65]

Grow it  Zig, I really dig Australia's Rainforest proteacea, so many beauties  with stunning leaves and flowers.  Pete  

[LJG]

Interesting looking plant Pete. 

[Pedro 65]

7 hours ago, LJG said:

Interesting looking plant Pete. 

It is Len, heres a few more rainforest proteacea.

Kris Kupsch can you pls add a heap that you have stored in your pics 

Pete  

Hicksbeachia pilosa     Athertonia diversifolia  x 2 pics   Musgravea heterophylla    Darlingia ferruginea 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mandrew968]

They look prehistoric, Pete. I would love to have those in the garden, on the beach!

[Pedro 65]

11 hours ago, Mandrew968 said:

They look prehistoric, Pete. 

 They are pretty much prehistoric Andrew. Below is from Wikipedia on Proteaceae.    Pete

Proteaceae are mainly a Southern Hemisphere family, with its main centres of diversity in Australia and South Africa. It also occurs in Central Africa, South and Central America, India, eastern and south eastern Asia, and Oceania.^[5] Only two species are known from New Zealand, although fossil pollen evidence suggests there were more previously.^[6]

It is a good example of a Gondwanan family, with taxa occurring on virtually every land mass considered a remnant of the ancient supercontinent Gondwana, except Antarctica. The family and subfamilies are thought to have diversified well before the fragmentation of Gondwana, implying all of them are well over 90 million years old. Evidence for this includes an abundance of proteaceous pollen found in the Cretaceous coal deposits of the South Island of New Zealand. It is thought to have achieved its present distribution largely by continental drift rather than dispersal across ocean gaps

[Mandrew968]

Very cool, Pete! Thanks much for the curiosity pique.

[Mandrew968]

Looked it up and what-do-ya-know! My favorite tree, Macadamia is part of the group. Killer!

[Cindy Adair]

Beautiful Pete! Thanks for the lovely photos!

So far my attempts at this group have not gone too well.

The macadamia tree is sulking and much less healthy than the nut producing one I babied in a pot in VA. Perhaps another case where it started out in full sun but now is in too much shade due to exuberant jungle growth above!

My little Grewia disappeared. 

So far my Stenocarpus sinuatus is the best of them but very slow. I have recently been brutal with nearby heliconias and torch gingers though to let it see the sky again.

I will keep trying any that might take my rainfall.

 

[Pedro 65]

12 hours ago, Cindy Adair said:

Beautiful Pete! Thanks for the lovely photos!

So far my attempts at this group have not gone too well.

The macadamia tree is sulking and much less healthy than the nut producing one I babied in a pot in VA. Perhaps another case where it started out in full sun but now is in too much shade due to exuberant jungle growth above!

My little Grewia disappeared. 

So far my Stenocarpus sinuatus is the best of them but very slow. I have recently been brutal with nearby heliconias and torch gingers though to let it see the sky again.

I will keep trying any that might take my rainfall.

 

Thanks Cindy, the Athertonia's are in seed, I can happily send you some when they are ready, they have beautiful large leaves as below shows...,They burn easily when V young so will V much enjoy your filtered light. They are coming up down in the garden alone so I think best just to plant the seed after a "gentle" crack so the seed can escape the outer husk. They love deep red soil.   Pete                                                                                                        

[Cindy Adair]

5 hours ago, Pedro 65 said:

Thanks Cindy, the Athertonia's are in seed, I can happily send you some when they are ready, they have beautiful large leaves as below shows...,They burn easily when V young so will V much enjoy your filtered light. They are coming up down in the garden alone so I think best just to plant the seed after a "gentle" crack so the seed can escape the outer husk. They love deep red soil.   Pete                                                                                                        

Thanks Pete! Those are beautiful leaves. Other than the fact that my soil is brown, not red, I have the other conditions. As close as a 10 minute drive my neighbors have the orange soil...

[Pedro 65]

19 hours ago, Cindy Adair said:

Thanks Pete! Those are beautiful leaves. Other than the fact that my soil is brown, not red, I have the other conditions. As close as a 10 minute drive my neighbors have the orange soil...

Cindy, in yr climate they will do great, and re red soil, its just here that I notice they are popping up in the red soil, We have different soils here, very little red  actually, wish I had more as its very deep, brown soil , clay incl white clay, glad we have it as it "seals" the dams and with some dolomite /lime clay is great stuff ,  and I always gather "silt" from edge  the streams. let me know if you want any..  Pete