Grevillea R.Br. ex Knight

Flora Zambesiaca. Vol. 9, Part 3. Polygonaceae-Myriaceae. Pope GV, Polhill RM, Martins ES. 2006.

Morphology General Habit

Shrubs or (in the Flora Zambesiaca area) trees Tree up to 30 m high Shrubs or (in the Flora Zambesiaca area) trees.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves simple or (more commonly in the Flora area) pinnately to bi-pinnately divided Leaves up to 35 cm long, pinnate with up to 22 alternate or subopposite pinnae, the pinnae with 1–several linear or linear-oblong acute lobes to deeply pinnatifid or pinnate with up to 16 lobes or pinnules, glabrous above, closely appressed pubescent beneath Leaves simple or (more commonly in the Flora area) pinnately to bi-pinnately divided.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers in short or long simple or branched racemes; bracts caducous Flowers in short or long simple or branched racemes; bracts caducous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth

Perianth tubular, expanded distally into a limb enclosing the stamens, the tube splitting on one side to release the style Perianth 7–10 mm long, glabrous, bright yellow to orange or reddish Perianth tubular, expanded distally into a limb enclosing the stamens, the tube splitting on one side to release the style.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a dehiscent follicle; seeds 2. Fruits c. 15 × 10 mm, blackish, glabrous. Fruit a dehiscent follicle; seeds 2.

Note

In addition to G. robusta several other Grevillea species are cultivated in the Flora area. G. banksii R. Br., recorded by White, For. Fl. Northern Rhodesia: 37 (1962), is similar to G. robusta but is usually a much smaller plant seldom exceeding 5 m with simply pinnate or pinnatifid leaves, densely brown-tomentose inflorescence and flowers, shorter pedicels up to 7 mm, and brown-tomentose shoots. G. linearifolia (Cav.) Druce (G. linearis R. Br.) is a cultivated shrub with linear leaves and pubescent flowers (Biegel 5213 from gardens in Harare, Zimbabwe). Biegel 3362, also from cultivation in Harare with linear leaves and glabrous flowers, has been identified by the National Herbarium, Sydney, Australia, as possibly a hybrid between G. lanigera R. Br. and G. rosmarinifolia A. Cunn. An extensive literature exists on its use in agroforestry, see C.E. Harwood, Grevillea robusta: an annotated bibliography (1989) and C.E. Harwood (ed.), Grevillea robusta in Agroforestry and Forestry: Proc. Internat. Workshop (1992), both published by the International Council for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF), Nairobi, Kenya.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence with main axis up to 24 cm long, usually with several simple lateral branches from near the base, appressed-pubescent towards the base but glabrous distally; pedicels 9–15 mm long, glabrous

Distribution

Mozambique ZAM N, MOZ N, MOZ M Zambia About 360 species, almost all in Australia, a few species extending to New Guinea, New Caledonia and Sulawesi. Native of Australia (Queensland and northern New South Wales), where it is confusingly known as Silky Oak, now commonly cultivated in the Flora Zambesiaca area as a street tree, as a shade tree on tea or coffee plantations or as a garden ornamental.

Proteaceae, R.K. Brummitt & Serena K. Marner. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1993

Morphology General Habit

Shrubs or (in Flora area) trees

Morphology Leaves

Leaves simple or (more commonly in Flora area) pinnately to bipinnately divided

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers in short or long simple or branched racemes; bracts caducous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth

Perianth tubular, expanded distally into a limb enclosing the stamens, the tube splitting on one side to release the style

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a dehiscent follicle; seeds 2.