Table A1.
Mean toughness (punch strength) values determined with a penetrometer for fully expanded leaves at two sites in Australian TLRF; species are ordered by the mean value for fully toughened leaves
| Family | Toughness of fully expanded but not fully toughened leaves (g cm–2) | Toughness of fully toughened leaves (g cm–2) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low-rainfall site | |||
| Monocots | |||
| Pothos longipes | Araceae | 52 | 106 |
| Pleuranthodium racemigerum | Zingiberaceae | 79 | 109 |
| Alpinia caerulea | Zingiberaceae | 88 | 110 |
| Alpinia modesta | Zingiberaceae | 80 | 111 |
| Alocasia brisbanensis | Araceae | 39 | 122 |
| Calamus caryotoides | Arecaceae | 83 | 130 |
| Mean (s.e.m.) | 70 (8·1) | 115 (3·8) | |
| Dicots | |||
| Hodgkinsonia frutescens | Rubiaceae | 18 | 33 |
| Castanospora alphandii | Sapindaceae | 25 | 40 |
| Mean (s.e.m.) | 22 (3·5) | 37 (3·5) | |
| High-rainfall site | |||
| Monocots | |||
| Alpinia arctiflora | Zingiberaceae | 50 | 72 |
| Cordyline cannifolia | Laxmanniaceae | 48 | 95 |
| Calamus australis | Arecaceae | ND | 127 |
| Freycinetia excelsa | Pandanaceae | 101 | >150 |
| Mean (s.e.m.) | 66 (17) | 111 (17) | |
| Dicots | |||
| Cryptocarya pleurosperma | Lauraceae | 24 | 48 |
| Wilkiea angustifolia | Atherospermataceae | 87 | |
| Mean (s.e.m.) | ND | 68 (20) |
Note: Alpinia arctiflora, A. caerulea and Pleuranthodium racemigerum all need tree-fall gaps or forest edges for establishment; the other species are shade-tolerant at establishment.
ND, not determined.