Nandina domestica.
In Family Berberidaceae but one Australian state still has it in the old Family Nandinaceae.
It has 10 synonyms – Nandina denudata, N. tomentosa, N. tsermonanten and 7 forms and varieties of N. domestica.
Nandina domestica is the only species in the genus.
Heavenly or Sacred bamboo, mainly native to China is a common garden plant.
They are a woody shrub with a few erect stems that usually do not branch.
Said to be up 2 m high, in Brisbane there are many up to 3 m.
They have underground runners (thin prostrate stems that root at the nodes).
New stems grow from the runners leading to the formation of dense clumps or thickets.
The alternate leaves are on a petiole with a swollen base.
Leaves fall as the stems grow so most are at the top of the stems.
Plants may later produce leaves from the base with bare stem between these and the top leaves.
Compound leaves, up to 1 m long are 2 or 3 times divided (bi- or tri-pinnate).
The base of the long petiole is swollen.
Leaflets are on a short petiolule with a swollen base.
The narrow elliptic to ovate leaflets are up to around 10 cm long.
Old leaves colour before falling and new foliage is pink to red.
Terminal and axillary inflorescences are branched clusters.
The conical panicles, held above the leaves can have over 100 flowers.
There are tiny bracteoles on the flower stalks (pedicels).
The sepals and petals, both typically in 2 whorls of 3, merge into each other.
All are free, cream to white and they fall early.
There may be more whorls of each.
Sepals are smaller than the around 5 to 6 mm long petals.
There are no nectaries.
The 6 stamens are on very short filaments.
The anthers open inwards through longitudinal slits.
The superior ovary has 1 locule with 1 (few) ovule that hangs down.
The top of the ovary narrows to a short style with a stigma that may be wrinkled.
Berries mature from a bright red to a dark blackish-purple.
Up to 1 cm across the berries have 1 to a few seeds.
J.F.
