School Science Lessons
(UNBiolN3N
2024-11-14
Genus names, N, (Nandina to Nypa)
Please send comments to: j.elfick@uq.edu.au
Contents
N.
Nagi, (Nageia nagi) Podocarpaceae
Sacred bamboo, (Nandina domestica), heavenly bamboo, (it is not a bamboo Bambusoideae!), perennial, up to 1-2 metres, green / bronze / red ferny leaves | Berberine | Cyanohydrin, (C14H17NO3) | traditional herbal medicine, can release toxic HCN, Berberidaceae
Narcissus, daffodil, jonquil, white-yellow conspicuous flowers have six petal-like tepals and cup- shaped corona, isoquinoline aljaloids, Amaryllidaceae.
Narcissus poeticus, poet's narcissus, pheasant's eye, daffodil, jonquil, Amaryllidaceae.
Narcissus pseudonarcissus, daffodil, asphodel, narcissus, joss flower, lent lily, starch in fleshy bulb scales, poisonous bulbs Amaryllidaceae.
Nardostachys chinensis, Chinese spikenard, Valerianaceae.
Narthecium americanum, bog asphodel, yellow asphodel, Liliaceae.
Nasturtium officinale, watercress, common watercress, garden herb, Brassicaceae.
Nauclea esculenta, nauclea, small tree, evergreen, fruit medium, red, firm sweet pulp, many tiny seeds, used fresh, grown from seeds, West Africa, Rubiaceae.
Nauclea orientalis, large tree, globular yellow flowers, Leichhardt tree, yellow cheesewood, fruit edible but not palatable, rainforest, Northern Australia, Rubiaceae.
Neea psychotrioides, saltwood, pigeon plum, nia, edible fruit, herbal medicine, Nyctaginaceae.
Nelumbo nucifera, lotus, sacred lotus, Indian lotus, red lily, (water lily, water bean) | liensinine alkaloid | herbal medicine, Nelumbonaceae.
Dried herb sold as whole flowers.
Nelumbonaceae, lotus lily family
Neoregelia carolinae, blushing bromeliad, epiphyte, leave form broad rosette, like a vase, (houseplant), Bromeliaceae.
Neottia cordata, heartleaf twayblade, lesser twayblade, uncommon, easily not seen because close to ground, Europe, Orchidaceae.
Neottia nidus-avis, bird's nest orchid, Orchidaceae.
Nepenthes ampullaria, pitcher plant, herbal medicine, Nepenthaceae.
Nepenthes khasiana, pitcher plant, blue fluorescence to attract insects, India, Nepenthaceae.
Nepenthes salpouriana, pitcher plants, Indonesia, Malaysia, climbing tendrils on leaf ends may develop into lidded flowers, Nepenthaceae.
Nepenthaceae, East Indian pitcher plant family
Nephelium lappaceum, rambutan, Sapindaceae.
Nephelium lappaceum, medium tree, evergreen, male and female trees or hermaphroditic, fruit medium, red, yellow or white sweet pulp, edible aril, covered with fleshy spines, used fresh, preserved, propagation from seeds, grafting, herbal medicine, Southeast Asia, Sapindaceae.
Nephelium lappaceum, Rambutan, Daley's Fruit Trees.
Nephelium rambutan-ake, pulasan, herbal medicine, Sapindaceae.
Nephelium mutabile, pulasan, large tree, evergreen, fruit small, oval, leathery red skin, translucent sweet flesh, seed, used fresh, from seeds, needs warm climate, Malaysia, Sapindaceae.
Nephelium mutabile, Pulasan, Daley's Fruit Trees.
Nerine sarniensis, "Guernsey lily", (but it comes from South Africa!), spider lily, ornamental, Liliaceae.
Nerium indicum, oleander, Indian oleander, sweet-scented oleander, karaviram, herbal medicine | Nerioderin | entire plant poisonous especially leaves, India, Apocynaceae.
Nerium oleander, oleander, ornamental shrub, leathery, willow-like leaves, cardiac glycosides, oleandrin, entire plant poisonous especially leaves, Apocynaceae.
Nertera granadensis, coral bead plant, mound-forming, creeping stem, small rounded leaves, white then orange berries, (houseplant), Rubiaceae.
Tobacco plant, (Nicotiana tabacum), cultivated tobacco, Solanaceae
Nidularium billbergioides citrinum, rosette forming, epiphytic, (houseplant), Bromeliaceae.
Nidularium fulgens, rosette forms vase with tubular white and purple flowers, (houseplant), Bromeliaceae.
Nidularium innocentii, undersides of leaves purple, (houseplant), Bromeliaceae.
Nidularium innocentii, bird's nest bromeliad, Bromeliaceae.
Nitella clavata, (Protoplasmic streaming can be observed.).
Nitraria, thorny shrubs, alternate and entire fleshy leaves, flowers, loose cymose inflorescences, bisexual, pentamerous, yellow tor white, juicy drupe, Eurasia, Nitrariaceae.
Nitraria billardierei, nitre bush, dillon bush, perennial salt-tolerant shrub, up to 2 m, small ovoid or oblong purple-golden drupe, edible fruit, taste like "salty grapes", used to make jam, Australian native food, Nitrariaceae.
Nitraria retusa, salt-tolerant desert shrub, up 2.5 m, small white-green, fragrant flowers, small edible red fruit, Africa, Nitrariaceae.
Nitraria schoberi, shrub 2 m, hermaphrodite, can grow in saline soils.
Nopalea, cochineal cactus, (female bug Coccus cacti).
Normanbya normanbyi, black palm, north-eastern Queensland, Australia.
Nothofagus alpina, rauli, (a southern beech), Andes mountains, Nothofagaceae.
Nothofagus antarctica, antarctic beech tree, (a southern beech), Andes mountains, Nothofagaceae.
Nothofagus obliqua, roble beech, (a southern beech), Northern Europe, Nothofagaceae.
Nothoscordum bivalve, crow poison, Liliaceae.
Nothoscordum fragrans, onion weed, Liliaceae.
Nothoscordum gracile, fragrant false garlic, Liliaceae.
Notocactus apricus, spherical ribbed, very spiny, yellow flowers, (houseplant), Cactaceae.
Notocactus ottonis, stiff spines, (houseplant), Cactaceae.
Notothixos incanus, var. subaureus, yellow-leafed parasite of Loranthus, Loranthaceae.
Nuytsia floribunda, West Australian Christmas tree, hemiparasite, Loranthaceae.
Nymphaea macrosperma, water lily, white water lily, herbal medicine, leaf has very thin cuticle and aerenchyma, air chambers, Australian native food, Nymphaeaceae.
Nymphaea maculata, red tiger lotus, water lily, Nymphaeaceae.
Nymphaeaceae, water lily family
Nyssa sylvatica, black gum, tupelo, moderate size, ornamental shade tree, North America, Cornaceae.
Nypa fruticans, nipah palm, mangrove palm, grows as a mangrove in tidal estuaries, Pacific islands, Arecaceae.
Narcissus, daffodil, jonquil, white-yellow conspicuous flowers have six petal-like tepals and cup- shaped corona, isoquinoline aljaloids, Amaryllidaceae
Jonquil, (Narcissus jonquilla), Mediterranean daffodil, widely cultivated, yellow or white fragrant short-tubed clustered flowers, Amaryllidaceae
Poet's narcissus, (Narcissus poeticus), pheasant's eye, poet's daffodil, possible the narcissus of Greek legends, Amaryllidaceae
Daffodil, (Narcissus pseudonarcissus), wild daffodil, asphodel, narcissus, joss flower, lent lily, Easter lily, starch in fleshy bulb scales, poisonous bulbs, well-known European flower, Amaryllidaceae
Bunch-flowered narcissus, (Narcissus tenzetia), Chinese sacred lily, joss flower, | Orcinol, CH3C6H3(OH)2 | Amaryllidaceae
Spikenard, (Nardostachys jatamansi), nard, musk root, all heal, rose-purple flowers, up to 1 m,
pink, bell-shaped flowers, aromatic, amber colour essential oil distilled from crushed rhizome, ancient incense, (Bible, Mark 14:3), herbal medicine, eastern Himalayas, Caprifoliaceae.
Narthecium americanum, bog asphodel, yellow asphodel, Liliaceae
Narthecium ossifragum, bog asphodel, Nartheceaceae
Chilean Needle Grass, (Nassella neesiana), needle grass, perennial, long-lived, tussock-forming grass, up to 1.5 m, sharp-pointed needle-like seeds, extensive fibrous root system, coarsely hairy leaves with edges rough to touch, flowering seed heads can produce 1000s of flowers developing into seeds in two types of seeds, normal seeds and stem seeds that the plant to reproduce despite grazing and slashing. Prohibited invasive plant of Queensland, Poaceae.
Mexican feathergrass, (Nassella tenuissima), Angel hair grass, fine-stem needle grass, pony tails, texas tussock grass, tufted long-lived grass, upright growing, up to 70 cm tall, slender linear leaves, open seed-head, slender branched panicle with many flower spikelets borne singly, very long bent and twisted awn, grows in dense clumps, pastures and bushland, unpalatable to stock and reduces pasture quality, contaminates hay and grain, hard to get rid of, Poaceae
Serrated tussock, (Nassella trichotoma), needle grass, bunch grass, reduces productivity of pasture, fire hazard, invasive, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Peru. Poaceae
Watercress, (Nasturtium officinale), yellowcress, rapidly growing perennial, up to 30 cm, hollow stems float in shallow water of cool streams, water, pinnately compound leaves, needs well-limed soil, grow in pot at back door so close, for daily use, culinary uses raw and cooked, rich source of vitamins, iron, potassium, iodine, calcium germanium, culinary uses as garnish and in salads and stir-fries, Gluconasturtiin, herbal medicine, Brassicaceae.
Watercress, Mudbrick Herb Cottage, See text below.
Nauclea, (Nauclea esculenta), small tree, evergreen, fruit medium, red, firm sweet pulp, many tiny seeds, used fresh, grown from seeds, West Africa, Rubiaceae
African Peach, (Nauclea latifolia), deciduous shrub or tree, up to 30 m, edible fruit, used as a febrifuge and cure for coughs, | Strictosamine alkaloid | Tramadol opioid analgesic, C16H25NO2 | West Africa, Rubiaceae
Leichhardt tree, (Nauclea orientalis), large tree, globular yellow flowers, yellow cheesewood, fruit edible. but not palatable, rainforest, Northern Australia, Rubiaceae
Neea psychotrioides, saltwood, pigeon plum, nia, edible fruit, herbal medicine, Nyctaginaceae
White bolly gum, (Neolitsea dealbata), little laurel, Australia, Lauraceae
Neolitsea dealbata, White bolly gum, Daleys Fruit Tree Nursery
Glycine, (Neonotonia wightii), tinaroo, perennial soybean, tropical pasture legume, Fabaceae
Blushing bromeliad, (Neoregelia carolinae), epiphyte, leaves form broad rosette, like a vase, (houseplant), Bromeliaceae
Heartleaf twayblade, (Neottia cordata), lesser twayblade, uncommon, easily not seen, because close to ground, Europe, Orchidaceae
Bird's nest orchid, (Neottia nidus-avis), Orchidaceae
Tropical pitcher plant, (Nepenthes ampullaria), narrow-lid pitcher plant, rainforests, carpets of speckled green-red-brown leaves develop upright jug-like red-brown tubes, digests leaf litter and frog excreta not insects herbal medicine, New Guinea, Malaysia, Nepenthaceae
Slender pitcher plant, (Nepenthes gracilis), all parts poisonous | Histamine | Nepenthaceae
"Devouring plant" (Nepenthes khasiana), pitcher plant, blue fluorescence to attract insects, India, Nepenthaceae
Catmint, (Nepita cataria), catnip, cat mint, Nepetalactone essential oil contains, Pulegone, insect repellent, attracts cats, "detestable to all except cats" herbal medicine, Asia, Lamiaceae
Six Hills Giant Catmint, Mudbrick Herb Cottage, (Nepita X racemosa), See text below Description.
Catmint Walkers Blue, Mudbrick Herb Cottage, (Nepita X faasseni racemosa).
Catnip, (Nepita cataria), catmint, perennial, 50 cm, hardy plant, white flowers, some cats like it so use dry leaves for cat toys, herbal medicine, Lamiaceae
Catnip, Mudbrick Herb Cottage
Dried herb is sold as aerials.
Rambutan, (Nephelium lappaceum), medium tree, evergreen, male and female trees or hermaphroditic, fruit medium, red, yellow or white sweet pulp, edible
aril, covered with fleshy spines, used fresh, preserved, propagation from seeds, grafting, herbal medicine, Southeast Asia, Sapindaceae
Nephelium lappaceum, Rambutan, Daleys Fruit Tree Nursery.
Pulasan, (Nephelium mutabile), large tree, evergreen, fruit small, oval, leathery red skin, translucent sweet flesh, seed, used fresh, from seeds, needs warm climate, Malaysia, Sapindaceae
Nephelium mutabile, Pulasan, Daleys Fruit Tree Nursery.
Water mimosa, (Neptunia oleracea and Neptunia plena), aquatic nitrogen-fixing legume, perennial weed that attaches to bank of freshwater pools at water's edge, sensitive leaflets, yellow ball-shaped flowers, releases nitrogen into water which increases algal blooms and growth of other water weeds, e.g. water hyacinth, water lettuce and salvinia, in tropical Asia farmed as a water vegetable, Mexico, Central America and northern parts of South America, Fabaceae
"Guernsey lily", (Nerine sarniensis), spider lily, bulb plant, up to 45 cm, strap-shaped leaves, scarlet lily-like flowers, alkaloids include lycorine and tazettine, larvicide against Aedes aegypti, ornamental, not from Guernsey, but from South Africa, Liliaceae
Indian oleander, (Nerium indicum), Indian oleander, sweet-scented oleander, karaviram, herbal medicine | Nerioderin | Oleandrin | Neviin | Andynerin | entire plant poisonous especially leaves, India, Apocynaceae
Oleander, (Nerium oleander), ornamental shrub, leathery, willow-like leaves, cardiac glycosides, oleandrin, entire plant poisonous especially leaves, water used in vases of oleander can be poisonous, Apocynaceae
Coral bead plant, (Nertera granadensis), mound-forming, creeping stem, small rounded leaves, white then orange berries, (houseplant), Rubiaceae
Manyflower tobacco, (Nicotiana acuminata) | Anabasine | Argentina, Chile Solanaceae
Nicotiana species: | Anabasine | Miosmine
| Nicotine | entire plant poisonous, Solanaceae
Night-scented tobacco, (Nicotiana alata), winged tobacco, jasmine tobacco, ornamental, perfumed plant, South America, Solanaceae
Tree tobacco, (Nicotiana glauca), leaves attached to stalk by petioles, leaves and stems not pubescent nor sticky,
Native American medicine to treat wounds, inflamed throat | Anabasine | ingestion can be fatal, invasive weed, South America, Solanaceae
Peruvian tobacco, (Nicotiana glutinosa), vigorous, upright, sticky, hairy annual, large dark grey-green leaves, open bell-shaped panicles, coral-pink flowers, toxic if ingested, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru.
Glutinosone | 2-Ketoepimanool | Sclareol | all parts poisonous, garden plant, used to treat tobacco mosaic virus in tobacco by creating a new tetraploid hybrid species N. digluta, South America, Solanaceae
Aztec tobacco, (Nicotiana rustica), grown for | Nicotine | production as insecticide, (smoked in some countries), Solanaceae
Native tobacco, (Nicotiana sauveolens), erect herb, to 1.5 m high, Leaves 20 cm long, petiole usually narrowly winged, panicle-like inflorescence, flowers on pedicels corolla white, ovoid capsule, to ovoid-ellipsoid, 7–12 mm long; seeds wrinkled, the only Nicotiana species native to outside Americas, Australian native food, Solanaceae
Tobacco plant, (Nicotiana tabacum), cultivated tobacco, annual, up to 2.5 m, large green leaves, trumpet-shaped, white-pink flowers, all parts sticky with glandular hairs exudate containing nicotine.
Tobacco is the dried cured leaves of the tobacco plant, used for smoking, chewing, or snuff.
Tobacco contains nicotine, a stimulant, and other biologically active ingredients having carcinogenic properties.
The physiologic effect of tobacco leaf is by means of increased release of the neurotramitter histamine.
See diagram: Nicotine.
Smoking, Anatomy of a cigarette, by Lexi Krock, NOVA Online, USA (Flash)
| Acetosyringone
| Anatabine
| N-Caffeolputrescine
| Capsidiol
| Carboxyarabinitol 1-phosphate
| Debneyol
| Isovaleric acid | Myosmine
| Nicotine | Nicotyrine
| Nornicotine
| Rishitin | RuBisCo
| Scopolamine
| Scopolin
| Solavetivone
| Spermidine
| Tryptamine | used in leaf ontogeny studies, Solanaceae
Nidularium billbergioides citrinum, rosette forming, epiphytic, (houseplant), Bromeliaceae
Nidularium fulgens, rosette forms vase with tubular white and purple flowers, (houseplant), Bromeliaceae
Nidularium innocentii, undersides of leaves purple, (houseplant), Bromeliaceae
Nidularium innocentii, bird's nest bromeliad, Bromeliaceae
Love-in-a-mist, (Nigella damascena), ragged lady, devil-in-a-bush, love-in-a-puzzle, black seeds, ornamental, herbal medicine, Ranunculaceae
Nigella, (Nigella sativa), onion seed, gith, chernushka, (US), blackseed, Roman coriander, (confusing names: black caraway, "black cumin"), black onionseed, black sesame, nutmeg flower, (fennel flower - but not related to "fennel"), used in India, small black angular seeds sprinkled on bread | alpha-Hederin | Carvacrol | Pinene | Thymoquinone | herbal medicine, black seed oil, may be anti-cancerous, garden herb, Egypt, Ranunculaceae
Dried herb sold as whole seed.
See diagram: Black Cumin seed
Stoneworts, Smooth stonewort, (Nitella flexilis), Characeae
Nitre bush 1, (Nitraria billardierei, formerly Nitraria schoberi), dillon bush, karambi, wild grape, dry land shrub, up to 2 m, hermaphrodite, perennial, salt-tolerant shrub, up to 2 m, small ovoid or oblong purple-golden drupe, edible fruit, taste like "salty grapes", used to make jam, fruit the size of an olive, red colour, can grow in saline soils, Australian native food, Nitrariaceae
Nitre bush 2, (Nitraria retusa), salt tree, salt-tolerant desert shrub, up 2.5 m, small white-green, fragrant flowers, small edible red fruit, Africa, Nitrariaceae
Nitraria species, thorny shrubs, alternate and entire fleshy leaves, flowers, loose cymose inflorescences, bisexual, pentamerous, yellow tor white, juicy drupe, Eurasia, Nitrariaceae
Black palm, (Normanbya normanbyi), Australia, Arecaceae
Normanbya normanbyi, Black palm, Daleys Fruit Tree Nursery
Nothofagus alpina, rauli, (a southern beech), Andes mountains, Nothofagaceae
Nothofagus antarctica, antarctic beech tree, (a southern beech), Andes mountains, Nothofagaceae
Nothofagus obliqua, roble beech, (a southern beech), Northern Europe, Nothofagaceae
Nothoscordum bivalve, crow poison, Liliaceae
Nothoscordum fragrans, onion weed, Liliaceae
Nothoscordum gracile, fragrant false garlic, Liliaceae
Notocactus apricus, spherical ribbed, very spiny, yellow flowers, (houseplant), Cactaceae
Notocactus ottonis, stiff spines, (houseplant), Cactaceae
Native olive, (Notelaea microcarpa), gorge mock olive, velvet mock olive, small-fruited mock olive, crooked tree, up to 10 m tall, velvety young branchlets, harvested and used for dried fruit, directly sown on rehabilitation sites, grows in Eucalyptus woodland understory. Australia, Oleaceae
West Australian Christmas tree, (Nuytsia floribunda), native tree or shrub, vivid yellow/orange flowers, hemiparasite, largest parasitic plant in the world, Western Australia, Loranthaceae
Water lily, (Nymphaea macrosperma), white water lily, herbal medicine, leaf has very thin cuticle and aerenchyma, air chambers, anchored to the mud below, young leaves poisonous | Nelumbine | Anonaine | Armepavine | Australian native food, Nymphaeaceae
African tiger lotus, (Nymphaea maculata), red tiger lotus, water lily, Africa, Nymphaeaceae
Purple lily, (Nymphaea violacea), floating perennial herb, grows from a rhizome in the mud, leaves dark green above and purple or pale green beneath, smooth, blue or white flowers on long stalks up to 30 cm above the water surface, may be propagated from seed or division of the rhizomes, Australia, Nymphaeaceae
Nymphaeaceae, water lily family
Tupelo, (Nyssa sylvatica), black gum, deciduous tree, moderate size, ornamental bark, deep green foliage, clusters of small blue egg-shaped berries, ornamental shade tree, North America, Cornaceae
Nipah palm, (Nypa fruticans), mangrove palm, grows as a mangrove in tidal estuaries, Pacific islands, Arecaceae