''Negria'' is a plant
genus in the family
Gesneriaceae. Its only species is ''Negria rhabdothamnoides'', commonly known as the pumpkin tree. It is related to ''
Fieldia'' (syn. ''Lenbrassia'') and ''
Depanthus''.
Description
The pumpkin tree grows to about 8 m in height. It has pale, corky bark and soft, brittle wood. The ovate to broadly elliptic leaves are 70–200 mm long and 45–100 mm wide; they have glossy upper surfaces and are pale and sparsely haired beneath.
The flowers are large and orange with small red dots, appearing over summer from October to April. The fruit is a black, beaked capsule 15 mm long which holds numerous tiny, wind-dispersed seeds.
Distribution and habitat
The species is
endemic to
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
's
subtropical
The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical zone, geographical and Köppen climate classification, climate zones to the Northern Hemisphere, north and Southern Hemisphere, south of the tropics. Geographically part of the Geographical z ...
Lord Howe Island in the
Tasman Sea. The trees are found in the moist mountain forest of Lord Howe from about 500 m above sea level to the highest peaks at nearly 900 m.
See also
* ''
Rhabdothamnus''; this species has originally labelled in F. Mueller's collections as ''Rhabdothamnus negriana'' F.Muell., a name which he did not publish, but listed as a synonym.
References
Gesnerioideae
Monotypic Lamiales genera
Endemic flora of Lord Howe Island
Gesneriaceae genera
Taxa named by Ferdinand von Mueller
{{Gesneriaceae-stub