Lagunaria

Lagunaria is a genus in the family Malvaceae. It is an Australian plant which is native to Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island and parts of coastal Queensland.[1] It has been introduced to many parts of the world. The genus was named for its resemblance to the earlier genus Laguna Cav., which was named in honour of Andrés Laguna, a Spanish botanist and a physician to Pope Julius III.[2]

The tree can grow to be 10 - 15 metres tall,[4] and one and a half metres in diameter.[2] It is considered to be hardwood.[5]

The leaves are evergreen, though they change with age.[6][7] They are a dark green colour in the earlier stages of their development, with the undersides possessing a scale like quality and are of a silver colour.[2] Both sides become a pale green colour as they age and the scaley underside becomes smooth.[2]   They have an elliptical shape and become narrower as the plant starts to flower.[8] They are eight centimetres in length and three and a half centimetres in width on average.[9]

The petiole contains multiple large internal ducts which are filled with a staining material which is secreted during cellular fixation.[1]

Extrafloral nectaries are located on the underside of the petioles of younger leaves.[1] Unlike many species with extrafloral nectaries, there is no differentiated, structural secretory tissue denoting the location of the nectary region. Instead, the areas that possess secretory tissue can be seen in the density of the indumentum (a covering of fine hairs) at specific areas.[1] Areas that possess a nectary have shield-shaped trichomes (fine hairs) that are grouped closely together.[1] The nectar is produced by multicellular, glandular trichomes that arise between the shield-shaped trichomes. The non-nectary areas adjacent to the nectaries have fewer hairs that are more widely spread apart.[1]

The flower fades from a deep pink colour to a white and pale pink as it ages.[7][10] It is similar in appearance to a hibiscus.[7] It has a diameter ranging from 1.5 to 3 inches.[7] Each flower normally has 3–5 petals.[11]

Lagunaria Tree
Flower of Lagunaria Patersonia
Seed sapsule and seeds of Lagunaria
The Hibiscus Harlequin Bug
Lord Howe Island Map