Harpullia

''Harpullia'' is a genus of about 27 species of small to medium-sized rainforest trees from the family Sapindaceae. They have a wide distribution ranging from India eastwards through Malesia, Papuasia and Australasia to the Pacific Islands. They grow naturally usually in or on the margins of rainforests or associated vegetation.

The major centre of diversity, of about twenty species, occurs throughout New Guinea including its surrounding islands and region.

Australia harbours another centre of smaller diversity, of about eight species, growing naturally from northeastern New South Wales through eastern Queensland to Cape York Peninsula and coastal Northern Territory. Of the eight ''Harpullia'' species which grow naturally Australia six occur only (endemic) in Australia. They have the common name tulipwoods and were prized for their dark coloured timber. The one most commonly known to Australian horticulture is ''Harpullia pendula'' which is widely planted as a street tree along the east coast. '' H. frutescens'' is a small shrub with horticultural potential.

Naming, descriptive studies and classifications

European science formally published the name and description of this genus and its ''H. cupanioides'' type specimen from India, in 1824, authored by Scottish botanist William Roxburgh. The genus name, ''Harpullia'', derives from "Harpulli, "the vernacular name at Chittagong".

Recently in 2011 Japanese–American botanist Wayne Takeuchi formally published the name and description of ''H. mabberleyana'', the "first member of the genus to be discovered in New Guinea since 1940".

In 2003 Dutch botanists R. M. Buijsen, Peter C. van Welzen and R. W. J. M. van der Ham published a morphological phylogenetics analysis and biogeography study of the whole genus. In 1995 Buijsen published a leaf anatomy study.

In 1994, 1985 and 1982 Dutch botanists Pieter W. Leenhouts and M. Vente published the treatment in ''Flora Malesiana'', a natural species groups classification attempt and a taxonomic revision, respectively.

In 1985 and 1981 Australian botanist Sally T. Reynolds published updated names, known records and descriptions of the eight Australian species, in the ''Flora of Australia'' (series) and her scientific article, respectively.

In 1985 J. Mueller published a pollen anatomy and evolution study of the genus.

Also numerous studies of various ''Harpullia'' species' chemical constituents, often the saponins, have been published.

Species

This listing was sourced from the ''Australian Plant Name Index'' and ''Australian Plant Census'', published peer reviewed scientific journal articles, ''Flora Malesiana'', the ''Census of Vascular Plants of Papua New Guinea'', the ''Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants'' information system, ''Fruits of the Australian Tropical Rainforest'', the ''Flora of NSW'' online, the ''Flora of Australia'' (series), and the ''Checklist of the vascular indigenous Flora of New Caledonia''.:

* ''Harpullia alata'' – SE. Qld to NE. NSW endemic, Australia
* ''Harpullia arborea'' , syn.: ''H. pedicellaris'' – Sri Lanka, India, Assam, Thailand, S. Vietnam, through Malesia incl. New Guinea, NE. Australia, Pacific Islands incl. Fiji, Vanuatu, Samoa, Tonga
* '' Harpullia austro-caledonica'' – New Caledonia endemic
* '' Harpullia camptoneura'' – NE. New Guinea
* '' Harpullia carrii'' – Papua New Guinea
* '' Harpullia cauliflora'' – New Guinea
* '' Harpullia crustacea'' – E. New Guinea
* '' Harpullia cupanioides'' , syn.: ''H. thanatophora'' – S. China, Assam, Andaman Islands, Bangladesh, Burma, Thailand, Indo-China, throughout Malesia incl. New Guinea, NT Australia
* ''Harpullia frutescens'' – NE. Qld endemic, Australia
* '' Harpullia giganteacapsula'' – E. New Guinea
* ''Harpullia hillii'' – E. central Qld to NE. NSW endemic, Australia
* '' Harpullia hirsuta'' – SW. New Guinea
* ''Harpullia largifolia'' – New Guinea
* '' Harpullia leichhardtii'' – coastal NT endemic, Australia
* '' Harpullia leptococca'' – SE. New Guinea
* '' Harpullia longipetala'' – E. New Guinea
* '' Harpullia mabberleyana'' – New Guinea
* '' Harpullia myrmecophila'' – NW. New Guinea
* '' Harpullia oococca'' – New Guinea
* '' Harpullia peekeliana'' – New Ireland (New Guinea)
* ''Harpullia pendula'' – NE. Qld through E. Qld to NE. NSW Australia
* '' Harpullia petiolaris'' – Borneo, Moluccas, New Guinea
* '' Harpullia ramiflora'' , syn.: ''H. aeruginosa'' – Philippines, Moluccas, New Guinea, Cape York Peninsula Australia
* '' Harpullia rhachiptera'' – New Guinea
* '' Harpullia rhyticarpa'' – NE. Qld endemic, Australia
* '' Harpullia solomonensis'' – Solomon Islands, Bismarck Archipelago
* '' Harpullia vaga'' – Solomon Islands, Malesia incl. New Guinea

;Formerly included here
*''Harpullia zanguebarica''   ⇒  '' Majidea zanguebarica'' – E. Africa

References

Cited works

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{{Taxonbar, from=Q2691018

Flora of New Guinea
Flora of Papua New Guinea
Flora of New South Wales
Flora of Queensland
Trees of Vanuatu
Flora of Malesia
Sapindaceae genera
Sapindales of Australia