Boronia

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This article is about a plant genus. For the suburb in Melbourne, Australia, see Boronia, Victoria.

Boronia

Boronia fraseri,
Glenbrook Native Plant Reserve, NSW

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Sapindales
Family:	Rutaceae
Genus:	Boronia Sm.

Species

See text

Boronia is a genus of about 90-100 species of evergreen shrubs of the tribe Boronieae in the family Rutaceae. They are found all over Australia.

Boronias generally grow in open forests and woodlands. They are only rarely found in rainforests or arid areas, though some unusual species have recently been described from the northwest of Western Australia.

Selected species

Boronia clavata
Boronia falcifolia
Boronia fraseri
Boronia ledifolia
Boronia megastigma
Boronia microphylla
Boronia mollis
Boronia ovata
Boronia pinnata
Boronia safrolifera
Boronia serrulata (Native rose)

[edit] Taxonomy

The genus was first described by James Edward Smith in 1798.^[1] The species once described as genus Cyanothamnus by John Lindley, in A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony, was later given to an section of the same name in this genus.

[edit] Cultivation and utility

Boronias are known for their perfumed flowers, especially B. megastigma. Unfortunately, they are generally somewhat difficult to grow in cultivation. All species require excellent drainage and part shade.