AusTraits

Alyxia ruscifolia

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Family Apocynaceae

Taxonomy: Alyxia ruscifolia R.Br.

Synonyms: 15 (APC 2026-07-30)
  • Alyxia pugioniformis B.D.Jacks. (taxonomic synonym)
  • Alyxia richardsoni A.Cunn. (taxonomic synonym)
  • Alyxia richardsoni Sweet (taxonomic synonym)
  • Alyxia ruscifolia R.Br. subsp. ruscifolia (nomenclatural synonym)
  • Alyxia ruscifolia R.Br. var. ruscifolia (nomenclatural synonym)
  • Alyxia ruscifolia var. pugioniformis A.Cunn. ex G.Don (taxonomic synonym)
  • Alyxia ruscifolia var. pugioniformis F.M.Bailey (taxonomic synonym)
  • Alyxia ruscifolia var. ulicina F.M.Bailey (taxonomic synonym)
  • Gynopogon pugioniformis B.D.Jacks. (taxonomic synonym)
  • Gynopogon pugioniformis Steud. (taxonomic synonym)
  • Gynopogon ruscifolia Poir. (nomenclatural synonym)
  • Gynopogon ruscifolium P.I.Forst. (nomenclatural synonym)
  • Gynopogon ruscifolius (R.Br.) K.Schum. (nomenclatural synonym)
  • Gynopogon ruscifolius (R.Br.) Poir. (nomenclatural synonym)
  • Pulassarium ruscifolium (R.Br.) Kuntze (nomenclatural synonym)
Misapplied names: 1 (APC 2026-07-30)
  • Alyxia gynopogon Roem. & Schult. (misapplied)

Distribution (APC): Qld, NSW, LHI

Profiles: APC, Flora of Australia, ALA, iNaturalist, NSW Flora, ATRP

Traits

Top source datasets: ABRS_2022 (7), ABRS_2023 (14), ANBG_2019 (5), Benwell_2024 (4), Brock_1993 (10), Butler_2004 (5), Clarke_2009 (3), Clarke_2015 (3), Cooper_2013 (13), Forster_1992 (10), Grubb_1996 (3), Kew_2019_1 (4), Kooyman_2011 (11), McCarthy_2017 (17), NHNSW_2014_2 (10), NHNSW_2024 (12), NSWFRD_2014 (6), RadfordSmith_2024 (42), Sams_2017 (5), Schmidt_2003 (14), Sjostrom_2006 (4), Smith_1996 (115), Wenk_2022 (2), Wenk_2023 (1), Wright_2000 (9). See below for a full list of sources.
Summary: AusTraits contains 72 traits from 329 records in 25 datasets.

Traits by category (click to expand). For categorical traits, the values are listed. For numerical traits, the mean and range are shown.

fire response
  • resprouting_capacity (categorical): partial_resprouting (1); resprouts (2) [sources: Benwell_2024; Clarke_2015; NSWFRD_2014]
  • post_fire_recruitment (categorical): post_fire_recruitment_absent (2) [sources: Benwell_2024; Clarke_2015]
flower morphology
  • flower_colour (categorical): white_cream (1); yellow_orange (1) [sources: NHNSW_2014_2]
  • sex_type (categorical): hermaphrodite (1) [sources: Sjostrom_2006]
fruit morphology
  • fruit_length (numerical): 13.5 mm (6-20 mm) [sources: Cooper_2013; Forster_1992]
  • fruit_width (numerical): 10 mm (5-15 mm) [sources: Cooper_2013; Forster_1992]
  • fruit_type (categorical): berry (1); drupe (4) [sources: Cooper_2013; RadfordSmith_2024; Sams_2017; Sjostrom_2006; Wright_2000]
  • fruit_fleshiness (categorical): fleshy (4) [sources: Cooper_2013; Sams_2017; Sjostrom_2006; Wright_2000]
  • fruit_dehiscence (categorical): indehiscent (4) [sources: Cooper_2013; Sams_2017; Sjostrom_2006; Wright_2000]
leaf morphology
  • leaf_area (numerical): 89.82 mm2 (41.4-239.5 mm2) [sources: McCarthy_2017; RadfordSmith_2024; Smith_1996]
  • leaf_length (numerical): 37.73 mm (10-65 mm) [sources: Smith_1996; ABRS_2023; Brock_1993; Forster_1992; Kooyman_2011; NHNSW_2014_2; NHNSW_2024]
  • leaf_width (numerical): 17.86 mm (4-30 mm) [sources: Smith_1996; ABRS_2023; Brock_1993; Forster_1992; Kooyman_2011; NHNSW_2014_2; NHNSW_2024]
  • leaf_dry_mass (numerical): 13.38 mg (6.92-24.19 mg) [sources: RadfordSmith_2024; Smith_1996]
  • leaf_mass_per_area (numerical): 151.89 g/m2 (73.11-231.63 g/m2) [sources: McCarthy_2017; RadfordSmith_2024; Sams_2017; Smith_1996]
  • leaf_dry_matter_content (numerical): 0.44 g/g (0.26-0.67 g/g) [sources: RadfordSmith_2024; Schmidt_2003; Smith_1996]
  • leaf_water_content_per_dry_mass (numerical): 1.06 g/g (0.91-1.18 g/g) [sources: Smith_1996]
  • leaf_type (categorical): broadleaf (1) [sources: NHNSW_2024]
  • leaf_shape (categorical): elliptical (2); lanceolate (2); narrowly_lanceolate (1); obovate (2); obtriangular (1); ovate (1); widely_ovate (1) [sources: ABRS_2023; Brock_1993; Forster_1992; NHNSW_2024]
  • leaf_margin (categorical): entire (2); toothed_dentate (1) [sources: NHNSW_2014_2; NHNSW_2024]
  • leaf_margin_posture (categorical): revolute (1) [sources: NHNSW_2024]
  • leaf_lobation (categorical): unlobed (1) [sources: Kooyman_2011]
  • leaf_compoundness (categorical): simple (5) [sources: ABRS_2023; Brock_1993; Kooyman_2011; NHNSW_2014_2]
  • leaf_lamina_posture (categorical): recurved (1); revolute (2) [sources: ABRS_2023; NHNSW_2024]
  • leaf_phyllotaxis (categorical): alternate (1); whorled (3) [sources: ABRS_2023; NHNSW_2014_2; NHNSW_2024]
  • leaf_inclination_angle (numerical): 27.5 deg (10-50 deg) [sources: Smith_1996]
  • plant_photosynthetic_organ (categorical): cladode (1); leaf (3) [sources: ABRS_2023; NHNSW_2024]
life history
  • photosynthetic_pathway (categorical): c3 (1) [sources: Schmidt_2003]
  • plant_growth_form (categorical): shrub (12); tree (1) [sources: ABRS_2022; Brock_1993; Butler_2004; Clarke_2009; Cooper_2013; Forster_1992; Grubb_1996; Kooyman_2011; NSWFRD_2014; Schmidt_2003; Wenk_2022]
  • life_history (categorical): perennial (5) [sources: ABRS_2022; Brock_1993; Schmidt_2003; Wenk_2023]
  • woodiness_detailed (categorical): woody (3) [sources: ABRS_2022; Wenk_2022]
  • stem_growth_habit (categorical): erect (1) [sources: ABRS_2022]
  • leaf_phenology (categorical): evergreen (3) [sources: Kooyman_2011; RadfordSmith_2024; Schmidt_2003]
  • nitrogen_fixing (categorical): non_nitrogen_fixer (1) [sources: Schmidt_2003]
  • root_structure (categorical): arbuscular_mycorrhizal (1) [sources: Schmidt_2003]
  • dispersal_syndrome (categorical): endozoochory (2); zoochory (1) [sources: Butler_2004; Grubb_1996; RadfordSmith_2024]
  • dispersers (categorical): flying_vertebrates (1); vertebrates (1) [sources: Butler_2004; Sams_2017]
  • flowering_time (categorical): yyyyynnnnnny (1); yyyyynnnyyyy (2); yyyyyynnnnnn (1) [sources: Brock_1993; Cooper_2013; NHNSW_2014_2; NSWFRD_2014]
  • seedbank_location (categorical): none (1) [sources: Benwell_2024]
  • bud_bank_location (categorical): basal_buds (1); basal_stem_buds (3) [sources: Clarke_2009; Clarke_2015; NSWFRD_2014]
nutrient and stable isotope
  • leaf_N_per_dry_mass (numerical): 11.02 mg/g (10.75-11.3 mg/g) [sources: Schmidt_2003; Smith_1996]
  • leaf_P_per_dry_mass (numerical): 0.81 mg/g (0.81-0.81 mg/g) [sources: Smith_1996]
  • leaf_delta13C (numerical): -28.5 {delta}[ppth] (-28.5--28.5 {delta}[ppth]) [sources: Schmidt_2003]
seed morphology
  • seed_dry_mass (numerical): 108.34 mg (64-195.83 mg) [sources: ANBG_2019; Grubb_1996; Kew_2019_1]
  • seed_length (numerical): 10.38 mm (8-13 mm) [sources: ANBG_2019; Cooper_2013; Kooyman_2011]
  • seed_width (numerical): 7.13 mm (5-10 mm) [sources: ANBG_2019; Butler_2004; Kooyman_2011]
  • seed_shape (categorical): globoid (1) [sources: ANBG_2019]
stem morphology
  • wood_density (numerical): 0.71 mg/mm3 (0.64-0.92 mg/mm3) [sources: McCarthy_2017; RadfordSmith_2024]
whole plant morphology
  • plant_height (numerical): 4.33 m (2.5-6 m) [sources: ABRS_2023; Brock_1993; Cooper_2013; Forster_1992; NHNSW_2014_2; NHNSW_2024]

Sources

dataset_idn_traitsn_recordsreference
Smith_199617115B. Smith. “Community-level convergence and community structure of temperate Nothofagus forests”. PhD. University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand, 1996. url: http://web.nateko.lu.se/personal/benjamin.smith/thesis/thesis.html.
RadfordSmith_20241442J. Radford-Smith, H. R. Lai, E. C. Weeren, and J. M. Dwyer. “A Functional Basis for the Assembly of Australian Subtropical Rainforest Tree Communities”. Ecology Letters 27.11 (2024). ISSN: 1461-0248. doi: 10.1111/ele.70014.
McCarthy_2017317J. K. McCarthy, J. M. Dwyer, and K. Mokany. “A regional-scale assessment of using metabolic scaling theory to predict ecosystem properties”. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 286.1915 (2019), p. 20192221. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2019.2221.
ABRS_2023914Australian Biological Resources Study. Flora of Australia, Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra.. accessed on 14 September, 2022.. 2023. url: http://www.ausflora.org.au.
Schmidt_20031114S. Schmidt and G. R. Stewart. “d15N values of tropical savanna and monsoon forest species reflect root specialisations and soil nitrogen status”. Oecologia 134 (2003), pp. 569-577. doi: 10.1007/s00442-002-1150-y.
Cooper_20131013W. Cooper and W. T. Cooper. Australian rainforest fruits. CSIRO Publishing, 2013, p. 272.
NHNSW_20241012N. H. of New South Wales. The Plant Information Network System of The Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust Version 2.0.. accessed on December, 2023.. 2024. url: https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/.
Kooyman_2011811R. Kooyman, M. Rossetto, W. Cornwell, and M. Westoby. “Phylogenetic tests of community assembly across regional to continental scales in tropical and subtropical rain forests”. Global Ecology and Biogeography 20 (2011), pp. 707-716. doi: 10.1111/j.1466-8238.2010.00641.x.
Brock_1993810J. Brock and A. Dunlop. Native plants of northern Australia. Reed New Holland, 1993. ISBN: 9781877069246.
Forster_1992810P. I. Forster. “A taxonomic revision of Alyxia (Apocynaceae) in Australia”. Australian Systematic Botany 5 (1992), pp. 547-580. doi: 10.1071/sb9920547.
NHNSW_2014_2810Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney. PLantNET: NSW flora online. 2014. url: http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/.
Wright_200099I. J. Wright, H. T. Clifford, R. Kidson, M. L. Reed, B. L. Rice, and M. Westoby. “A survey of seed and seedling characters in 1744 Australian dicotyledon species: Cross-species trait correlations and correlated trait-shifts within evolutionary lineages”. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 69 (2000), pp. 521-547. doi: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2000.tb01222.x.
ABRS_202247Australian Biological Resources Study. Flora of Australia, Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra.. accessed on 14 September, 2022.. 2022. url: http://www.ausflora.org.au.
NSWFRD_201456B. Kenny, C. Orscheg, E. Tasker, M. A. Gill, and R. Bradstock. NSW Flora Fire Response Database, v2.1. database. NSW Department of Planning Industry and Environment, 2014.
ANBG_201955Australian National Botanic Gardens. The National Seed Bank. 2018. url: http://www.anbg.gov.au/gardens/living/seedbank/.
Butler_200455D. W. Butler, R. J. Green, D. Lamb, W. J. F. Mcdonald, and P. I. Forster. “Biogeography of seed-dispersal syndromes, life-forms and seed sizes among woody rain-forest plants in Australia's subtropics”. Journal of Biogeography 34.10 (2007), pp. 1736-1750. ISSN: 1365-2699. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2699.2007.01734.x.
Sams_201755M. A. Sams, H. R. Lai, S. P. Bonser, P. A. Vesk, R. M. Kooyman, D. J. Metcalfe, J. W. Morgan, and M. M. Mayfield. “Landscape context explains changes in the functional diversity of regenerating forests better than climate or species richness”. Global Ecology and Biogeography 26.10 (2017), pp. 1165-1176. doi: 10.1111/geb.12627.
Benwell_202444A. Benwell. “Fire responses of flora in a sclerophyll-rainforest vegetation complex in the Nightcap Range, North Coast, New South Wales”. Australian Journal of Botany 72.1 (2024). Ed. by D. Williams. ISSN: 1444-9862. doi: 10.1071/bt23049.
Kew_2019_114Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Seed Information Database (SID) and Seed Bank Database. 2019. url: http://data.kew.org/sid/.
Sjostrom_200644A. Sjöström and C. L. Gross. “Life-history characters and phylogeny are correlated with extinction risk in the Australian angiosperms”. Journal of Biogeography 33.2 (2006), pp. 271-290. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2699.2005.01393.x.
Clarke_200923P. J. Clarke, K. J. E. Knox, M. L. Campbell, and L. M. Copeland. “Post-fire recovery of woody plants in the New England Tableland Bioregion”. Cunninghamia 11 (2009), pp. 221-239. doi: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/4907.
Clarke_201533P. J. Clarke, M. J. Lawes, B. P. Murphy, J. Russell-Smith, C. E. Nano, R. Bradstock, N. J. Enright, J. B. Fontaine, C. R. Gosper, I. Radford, J. J. Midgley, and R. M. Gunton. “A synthesis of postfire recovery traits of woody plants in Australian ecosystems”. Science of The Total Environment 534 (2015), pp. 31-42. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.04.002.
Grubb_199633P. J. Grubb and D. J. Metcalfe. “Adaptation and inertia in the Australian tropical lowland rain-forest flora: Contradictory trends in intergeneric and intrageneric comparisons of seed size in relation to light demand”. Functional Ecology 10 (1996), pp. 512-520. doi: 10.2307/2389944.
Wenk_202222E. Wenk. “Unpublished data: Australian plant growth forms dataset”. 2022.
Wenk_202311E. Wenk. “Unpublished data: Australian plant life history dataset, University of New South Wales, Sydney”. 2023.