Boronia

{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}} {{About|a plant genus|the suburb in Melbourne, Australia|Boronia, Victoria|the Hockey Dad album|Boronia (album)}} {{Automatic taxobox |image=Boronia fraseri Glenbrook.jpg |image_caption=''Boronia fraseri'' at the Glenbrook Native Plant Reserve, NSW |taxon=Boronia |authority=Sm.<ref name="APC">{{cite web |title=''Boronia'' |url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/58984|website=Australian Plant Census |access-date=12 March 2020}}</ref> |subdivision_ranks = Species |subdivision = About 160; see List of ''Boronia'' species |synonyms = }}

'''''Boronia''''' is a genus of about 160 species of flowering plants in the citrus family Rutaceae. Most are endemic to Australia with a few species in New Caledonia, which were previously placed in the genus ''Boronella''. They occur in all Australian states but the genus is under review and a number of species are yet to be described or have the description published. Boronias are similar to familiar plants in the genera ''Zieria'', ''Eriostemon'' and ''Correa'' but can be distinguished from them by the number of petals or stamens. Some species have a distinctive fragrance and are popular garden plants.

==Description== Plants in the genus ''Boronia'' are nearly always shrubs although a very small number occur as herbs or as small trees. The leaves are usually arranged in opposite pairs and may be simple leaves or compound leaves with up to nineteen or more leaflets, in either a pinnate or bipinnate arrangement. The flowers are arranged in groups in the leaf axils or on the ends of the branches and have both male and female parts. There are usually four separate sepals, usually four separate petals and generally eight stamens. (In ''Zieria'' there are only four stamens, ''Eriostemon'' species have five petals and in ''Correa'' the petals are joined to form a bell-shaped tube.) There are four carpels with their styles fused and there are two ovules in each carpel.<ref name="RBGS">{{cite web|last1=Weston|first1=Peter H.|last2=Duretto|first2=Marco|title=Genus ''Boronia''|url=http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&showsyn=&dist=&constat=&lvl=gn&name=Boronia|publisher=Royal Botanic Garden Sydney: plantnet|access-date=17 October 2016}}</ref><ref name="ANPSA">{{cite web|title=The Boronia family|url=http://anpsa.org.au/boronia9.html|publisher=Australian Native Plants Society Australia|access-date=17 October 2016|archive-date=13 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200413125255/https://anpsa.org.au/boronia9.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>[[File:Boronia algida.jpg|thumb|right|''Boronia algida'' in Mount Buffalo National Park]][[File:Boronia Mt Imlay2.JPG|thumb|right|''Boronia imlayensis'' in Mount Imlay National Park]]

==Taxonomy and naming== The genus ''Boronia'' was first formally described in 1798 by James Edward Smith and the description was published in ''Tracts Relating to Natural History''.<ref name=APNI>{{cite web|title=''Boronia''|url= https://id.biodiversity.org.au/instance/apni/463154|publisher=APNI|access-date=17 October 2016}}</ref> The name ''Boronia'' honours Francesco Borone (1769 - 1794), Italian naturalist and plant collector, who assisted John Sibthorp in Greece and Turkey, Adam Afzelius in Sierra Leone and James Edward Smith during his European tour in 1787.<ref name=borone>{{cite book|url=https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/49223386|title=Tracts relating to natural history, pp. 301-305|author=Smith, James Edward|year=1798|access-date=28 May 2018}}</ref><ref name=APNI(1)>{{cite web|title=''Boronia'' Sm.|url= https://id.biodiversity.org.au/instance/apni/6838568|publisher=APNI|access-date=17 October 2016}}</ref><ref name="Quattrocchi">{{cite book|last1=Quattrocchi|first1=Umberto|title=CRC world dictionary of plant names : common names, scientific names, eponyms, synonyms, and etymology|date=1999|publisher=CRC Press|location=Boca Raton, Florida|isbn=0849326737|page=327}}</ref>

Boronia, an outer suburb of Melbourne in Australia was named after a boronia found growing in the area.

==Distribution and habitat== Boronias are found in all states and mainland territories of Australia and generally grow in open forests or woodlands, only rarely in rainforests or arid areas.<ref name="RBGS" /><ref name="ANPSA" />

==Use in horticulture== Boronias, especially ''B. megastigma'', are known for their perfumed flowers. Most are regarded as desirable specimens in the garden, however, many are difficult to grow in cultivation. All species require excellent drainage and part shade.<ref name="ANPSA(2)">{{cite web|title=The Boronia Family - cultivation|url=http://anpsa.org.au/boronia3.html|publisher=Australian Native Plants Society Australia|access-date=17 October 2016|archive-date=13 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200413125322/https://anpsa.org.au/boronia3.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==See also== *List of ''Boronia'' species

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

==External links== * {{wti|Boronia}}

Category:Boronia Category:Zanthoxyloideae genera