| Alloxylon | |
|---|---|
 | |
| A. flammeum, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Proteales |
| Family: | Proteaceae |
| Subfamily: | Grevilleoideae |
| Tribe: | Embothrieae |
| Subtribe: | Embothriinae |
| Genus: | Alloxylon P.H.Weston &Crisp |
| Type species | |
| Alloxylon flammeum | |
| Species | |
See text | |
Alloxylon is a genus of four species in the familyProteaceae of mainly small to medium-sizedtrees. They are native to the eastern coast ofAustralia, with one species,A. brachycarpum, found inNew Guinea and theAru Islands. The genus is a relatively new creation, being split off fromOreocallis in 1991. The name is derived fromAncient Greekallo- "other" or "strange" andxylon or "wood" due to their unusual cell architecture compared with the related generaTelopea andOreocallis. In Australia, they are known as tree waratahs due to similarities in the inflorescences between them and the closely relatedTelopea.
Together withTelopea,Oreocallis andEmbothrium,Alloxylon makes up a small group of terminal often red-flowering showy plants scattered around the southern edges of thePacific Rim. Known as thesubtribeEmbothriinae, this is an ancient group with roots in the midCretaceous, whenAustralia,Antarctica andSouth America were linked by land.
They are grown for their showy flowers. Their large size and, in some cases, lengthy time to flower from seed, has limited their availability as garden plants. However,Alloxylon flammeum has proven adaptable and hardy, while the others are more exacting in their requirements. All do best in a well-drained soil rich in organic material but low inphosphorus with some shelter when small.
