View source for Lunasia

{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}}
{{Speciesbox
|image = Lunasia amara.jpg
|image_caption = In [[The Palmetum, Townsville]]
|status = LC
|status_system = IUCN3.1
|status_ref = <ref name = iucn>{{cite iucn |author=Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI). |author2=IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group. |year=2019 |title=''Lunasia amara'' |volume=2019 |page=e.T146096013A146096015 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T146096013A146096015.en |access-date=13 April 2023}}</ref>
|genus = Lunasia
|species = amara
|parent_authority = [[Francisco Manuel Blanco|Blanco]]<ref name="APC1">{{cite web |title=''Lunasia'' |url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/100348 |publisher=Australian Plant Census |access-date=5 July 2024}}</ref>
|authority = Blanco<ref name="APC2">{{cite web |title=''Lunasia amara'' |url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/100371|publisher=Australian Plant Census |access-date=5 July 2024}}</ref>
|synonyms = {{Collapsible list|
* ''Androcephalium'' <small>[[Warb.]]</small>
* ''Mytilicoccus'' <small>[[Zoll.]]</small>
* ''Rabelaisia'' <small>[[Planch.]]</small>
|synonyms_ref = <ref name="POWO">{{cite web |title=''Lunasia'' |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:35810-1#synonyms |publisher=Plants of the World Online |access-date=5 July 2024}}</ref>
}}
}}
[[File:Lunasia amara fruit.jpg|thumb|Fruit]]
[[File:Lunasia amara foliage.jpg|thumb|Foliage in [[Mount Coot-tha Botanic Gardens]]]]
'''''Lunasia amara''''' is the only species of flowering plant in the genus ''Lunasia'' of the family [[Rutaceae]], and is native to [[Malesia]], New Guinea, and [[Queensland]]. It is a [[Dioecy|dioecious]] shrub with [[Leaf#Divisions of the blade|simple leaves]] and head-like clusters of small flowers, the female flowers with larger petals than the male flowers. The fruit has up to 3 [[Follicle (fruit)|follicles]] joined at the base, each containing a single seed.
==Description==
''Lunasia amara'' is a shrub that typically grows to a height of {{cvt|2–3|m}}, sometimes a small tree, with its young shoots, twigs and leaves covered in star-shaped hairs or scales. The leaves are simple, narrowly egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, {{cvt|55–60|mm}} long with toothed or lobed edges and many oil dots. Separate male and female flowers are arranged in clusters about {{cvt|3–6|mm}} in diameter, the male flowers [[Sessility (botany)|sessile]] with petals about {{cvt|1|mm}} long and 3 [[stamen]]s. Female flowers are on a short [[Pedicel (botany)|pedicel]], the petals {{cvt|2.0–2.3|mm}} long and densely hairy [[Gynoecium#Carpels|carpel]]s with 1 [[ovule]] per [[locule]] and 3 [[Style (botany)|styles]]. The fruit has up to 3 [[Follicle (fruit)|follicles]] {{cvt|6–15|mm}} long and {{cvt|5–10|mm}} long and joined at the base, each containing a single seed.<ref name="FoA">{{cite web |last1=Hartley |first1=T.G. |editor-last1=Wilson|editor-first1=Annette J.G.|title=''Lunasia'' |url=https://profiles.ala.org.au/opus/foa/profile/Lunasia |publisher=Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra |access-date=5 July 2024}}</ref><ref name="ATRP">{{cite web |title=''Lunasia amara'' |url=https://apps.lucidcentral.org/rainforest/text/entities/lunasia_amara.htm |publisher=Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants |access-date=5 July 2024}}</ref>
==Taxonomy==
The genus ''Lunasia'' was first formally published in 1837 by [[Francisco Manuel Blanco]]<ref name="APNI1">{{cite web |title=''Lunasia'' |url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/rest/instance/apni/527255 |publisher=Australian Plant Name Index |access-date=5 July 2024}}</ref> and the first species he described was ''Lunasia amara''.<ref name="APNI2">{{cite web |title=''Lunasia amara'' |url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/rest/instance/apni/527294 |publisher=Australian Plant Name Index |access-date=5 July 2024}}</ref> The descriptions were published in his book, ''[[Flora de Filipinas]]''.<ref name="Blanco">{{cite book |last1=Blanco |first1=Francisco M. |title=Flora de Filipinas |date=1837 |publisher=En la imprenta de Sto. Thomas por D. candido Lopez |location=Manila |pages=783–786 |url=https://archive.org/details/floradefilipina00blangoog/page/782/mode/2up |access-date=5 July 2024}}</ref> The [[Binomial nomenclature|epithet]] ''Lunasia'' is a [[Tagalog language|Tagalog]] word for ''L. amara''.<ref name="FoA" />
==Distribution and habitat==
''Lunasia amara'' is found in the [[Philippines]], south to [[East Java]] [[Borneo]], New Guinea and in the [[Iron Range|Iron]] and [[McIlwraith Range]]s in Queensland. It grows as an understorey plant in undisturbed rainforest.<ref name="ATRP" />
==Uses==
The plant is used in [[Malesia]] to treat skin disease and digestive disorders.<ref name="FoA" /><ref name="ATRP" /> Extracts from the bark have been used in New Guinea to treat tropical ulcers, and have been found to have antibacterial properties.<ref name="JoE">{{cite journal |last1=Prescott |first1=Thomas A.K. |last2=Sadler |first2=Ian H. |last3=Kiapranis |first3=Robert |last4=Maciver |first4=Sutherland K. |title=Lunacridine from ''Lunasia amara'' is a DNA intercalating topoisomerase II inhibitor |journal=Journal of Ethnopharmacology |date=2007 |volume=109 |issue=2 |pages=289–294 |doi=10.1016/j.jep.2006.07.036 |pmid=16963212 |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S037887410600376X |access-date=5 July 2024}}</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from1=Q9025558|from2=Q18079242}}
[[Category:Zanthoxyloideae]]
[[Category:Zanthoxyloideae genera]]
[[Category:Monotypic Rutaceae genera]]