science

Tetracera nordtiana

Tetracera nordtiana is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Tetracera nordtiana rather than just read about it. In short: Tetracera nordtiana, commonly known as small-leaved fire vine, is a climbing plant in the family Dilleniaceae which occurs from eastern Indonesia to the Australian state of Queensland. It was first described in 1865 and has a conservation status of least concern.

Key takeaways

Tetracera nordtiana belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Tetracera nordtiana to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Tetracera nordtiana from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Tetracera nordtiana, commonly known as small-leaved fire vine, is a climbing plant in the family Dilleniaceae which occurs from eastern Indonesia to the Australian state of Queensland. It was first described in 1865 and has a conservation status of least concern.

Description Tetracera nordtiana is a twining vine, or (rarely) a scandent shrub, with stem diameters up to 5 cm (2.0 in) and branches to 10 m (33 ft) long. Most parts of the plant, and young growth in particular, may have varying degrees of indumentum, from lightly to densely hairy, or even scabrid (sandpapery). The leaves measure up to 20 cm (7.9 in) long by 7 cm (2.8 in) wide but are more commonly about 12 cm (4.7 in) by 5 cm (2.0 in). They are generally elliptic to ovate in shape, the edges may be either toothed or entire, and the lateral veins are very distinct. The inflorescences are about 20 cm (7.9 in) long and carry on average about 60 fragrant flowers, each about 10 mm (0.39 in) diameter. There are 4 or 5 pale green sepals and 3 white petals. Stamens number about 120–150 and are about 5 mm (0.20 in) long. There are usually 3 carpels with 10 ovules each. The fruiting carpels are about 8 mm (0.31 in) long with a pointed apex. Each contains a single black seed surrounded by a red frilled aril.

Taxonomy This species was first described in 1865 by German-born Australian botanist Ferdinand von Mueller, who published the name in volume 5 his book Fragmenta phytographiæ Australiæ.

Infraspecies There are six varieties accepted, including the autonym, as follows:

Tetracera nordtiana var. celebica Hoogland Tetracera nordtiana var. everillii (F.Muell.) Hoogland Tetracera nordtiana var. louisiadica Hoogland Tetracera nordtiana var. moluccana (Martelli) Hoogland Tetracera nordtiana var. nordtiana Tetracera nordtiana var. wuthiana (F.Muell.) Hoogland

Etymology The genus name Tetracera is compounded from the Ancient Greek words τετρα (tetra), four, and κέρας (kéras), horn, in reference to the fruit that have four 'horns' or 'beaks'. The species epithet nordtiana was chosen by Mueller in honour of his then-fiancée Rebecca Nordt.

Distribution and habitat Tetracera nordtiana is native to Sulawesi, the Maluku Islands, the island of New Guinea and the Australian state of Queensland. In Australia it occurs on some islands of the Torres Strait, some isolated pockets on Cape York Peninsula, and a large population in the coastal areas between about Rossville and Ingham. It grows in various forest types including rainforest and swamp forest, at altitudes from sea level to about 1,200 m (3,900 ft).

Conservation This species is listed as least concern under the Queensland Government's Nature Conservation Act. As of December 2024, it has not been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Gallery

References

External links

View a map of herbarium collections of this species at the Australasian Virtual Herbarium View observations of this species on iNaturalist View images of this species on Flickriver.com

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Tetracera nordtiana

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Tetracera nordtiana claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Tetracera nordtiana before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Tetracera nordtiana ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Tetracera nordtiana

In research: Tetracera nordtiana appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Tetracera nordtiana in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Tetracera nordtiana is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Flora of New Guinea, Flora of Queensland, Flora of Sulawesi, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Tetracera nordtiana outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Tetracera nordtiana in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Tetracera nordtiana means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Tetracera nordtiana out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Tetracera nordtiana in simple terms?

Why does Tetracera nordtiana matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Tetracera nordtiana?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Tetracera nordtiana.