Scientific Name : Xanthostemon chrysanthus (F. Muell.) Benth.
Common Name : Golden Penda
Chinese Name : 金蒲桃
Family : MYRTACEAE
Local distribution status : Exotic species
| Origins | Queensland in the Northeast Australia. |
|---|---|
| Ecology | Golden Penda is native to the coastal open forest and rainforest in Queensland. As a riparian species, the Golden Penda is commonly seen along the banks of creeks and rivers. |
| City Flower | Golden Penda is the Floral Emblem of the coastal city Cairns in Queensland. |
| Meanings of scientific name | The genus name “Xanthostemon” means yellow stamens, while the species epithet “chrysanthus” means golden flowers. |
| Applications | Golden Penda is an excellent species of urban tree that can tolerate harsh urban environments. Apart from its tolerance to soil with low moisture content and fertility, acidity, and high soil penetration resistance, the species is also resistant to pollution and tropical heat. In addition, the Golden Penda is a nectar source that provides food for birds and insects. Hence, it is beneficial to the biodiversity of the urban forest. With glittering and eye-catching flowers, the species can beautify the environment, with a flowering period as long as 40 days. The seedling can blossom 2-3 years after germination. As a result, the Golden Penda is widely adopted as a street tree, which can be commonly seen in Hong Kong in the recent years. |
| Growing habit | Evergreen tree. |
|---|---|
| Height | Cultivars to 12 m. To 40 m in native habitats. |
| Stems | Bark of trunk grey, smooth. |
| Leaves | Lanceolate, oblanceolate to elliptic. Apex acuminate to acute, papery to hard leathery, glossy. Simple, alternate, whorled. Young leaves bronze red to light green, turning dark green in maturity. |
| Flowers | Golden yellow. Hypanthium cup-shaped. Petals 4 to 5, yellow, ovate to orbicular. Stamens many, golden yellow, arranged in a whorl, exserted from corolla. Inflorescence arranges as a hemisphere, like a half of pompom. |
| Fruits | Capsule, globose, slightly depressed, enclosed by hypanthium in 1/3 to a half. Brown when mature, split open to eject seed. |
| Flowering period | All year around. |
| Fruiting period | All year around. |
Scientific name above is based on Hong Kong Herbarium website : https://www.herbarium.gov.hk/en/hk-plant-database/plant-detail/index.html?pType=species&oID=11090
Scientific names from other databases
― Plants of the World Online : Xanthostemon chrysanthus (F.Muell.) Benth.