Dorothee Nijgh de Sampayo Garrido
Barringtonia calyptrata
mango pine
2019, watercolour, graphite on paper
47 x 34 cm
Collected 1770: Islands of Cape Fear, Lizard Island
Collected 2018: Cairns
A deciduous tree of the tropical north growing to 30 m, with honey fragrant flowers, rich in nectar, borne on both the branches and the trunk.
Each feature of the plant has been finely rendered in heightened textural detail with great accuracy in this most accomplished watercolour and pencil drawing.
The flowers open at night and are pollinated by bats. The mature blue green fruit or drupes are eaten by cassowaries.
Indigenous peoples use mango pine as a fish poison, and also make an infusion of the leaves and bark to treat chest pains and fever.
Dendrobium discolor
golden orchid
2019 , watercolour on paper
46 x 34 cm
Collected 1770: Bay of Inlets, Bustard Bay, Cape Grafton, Endeavour River
Collected 2019: Mungumby Falls
Dendrobium discolor is the largest of the Australian Dendrobium. It is an orchid that grows as an epiphyte (on another plant) as well as a lithophyte (on rocks).
The artist has portrayed the ornate floral spray with twisting sepals and petals and the lush leathery leaves in dynamic contrast.
Haemodorum coccineum
scarlet bloodroot
2019, watercolour on paper
34.5 x 31 cm
Collected 1770: Point Lookout, Endeavour River
Observed 2018: Cairns
Beautifully detailed plants parts have been carefully arranged in this traditional botanical art composition format. The artist has depicted the maturing flower, fruit capsules, and black seeds at magnified scale. The root is dissected to reveal a blood red flesh.
Haemodorum coccineum is a close relative of the kangaroo paw, Anigozanthos species.
Indigenous peoples boil the roots to make a red brown dye for colouring plant fibres that are used to make baskets and mats. Darker colour is produced by adding ash to the water. Lighter tones, ranging from orange to purple, will result from the flowers and fruit.
Scarlet bloodroot has also been used by Indigenous peoples medicinally – a decoction of broken up root bark is applied to skin sores. Dry stems are sometimes used for fire sticks.
Morinda citrifolia
Indian mulberry
2019, watercolour on paper
42 x 31.5 cm
Collected 1770: Endeavour River Point Lookout
Observed 2017: Maui, Hawaii
Observed 2019: Brisbane Botanic Gardens
The artist has portrayed details of the distinctive flower and fruit formations with a rich and subtle delicacy. Flowers are shown emerging individually from a compound head, followed by fruitlets in diamond shaped outlines.
A small tropical evergreen tree in the coffee family, native to southeast Asia and Australasia. The succulent fruits are edible but have a very pungent, rancid aroma when ripe, apparently to attract fruit bats which disperse the seeds.
The fruit, juice, seed, leaf, bark and root are used as sources of traditional medicines by Indigenous peoples.
The leaves are used to make a red dye, while the roots yield a yellow dye.
Xylomelum pyriforme
woody pear
2019, watercolour, graphite and coloured pencil on paper
47.5 x 36.5 cm
Collected 1770: Botany Bay
Observed 2019: Queensland Herbarium, Sydney Botanic Gardens
The artist has observed and captured in superb detail, more information than the historical works. Selecting a flowering specimen, the artist has portrayed the rusty hairs that cover the flowers and new growth. The velvety fruit, split to reveal the two winged seeds within, is depicted separately.
The artist has also included a pencil drawing of a juvenile leaf which, interestingly, are large with toothed margins, quite different to the smaller and smooth margins of the adult leaves.
Xylomelum pyriforme is slow growing and may take 20 years from seed to first flowering. Seeds are released after bushfire or on the death of the plant.
© 2020 Botanical Artists’ Society Queensland