Alyogyne huegelii

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Alyogyne huegelii
Alyogyne huegelii.JPG
Scientific classification
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A. huegelii
Binomial name
Alyogyne huegelii
(Endl.) Fryxell 1968 [1]

Alyogyne huegelii is a flowering plant found in the Southwest botanical province of Western Australia, extending along its entire coastline. A large flowered shrub, the species favours the sands of coastal shrublands and heath.

Contents

The large flower, highly variable in colour, is similar to that of Hibiscus . It was previously placed in that genus, and is commonly named lilac hibiscus and blue hibiscus. It is widely cultivated as a flowering plant for the garden. Previously published varieties and cultivars are no longer formally recognised.

Description

Flowers and leaves Alyogyne huegelii.jpg
Flowers and leaves

Shrub to 4 metres with many alternate branches, although lower ones may be sparse. Bright green leaves are divided in three to five in outline; margins are irregular, lobate to toothed; pubescent and strongly veined lobes are coarse in shape. The flower stalk at the leaf axil is long, tilting at the single flower.

Inflorescence

The scented flowers have five luminous petals up to 70 mm long, these are overlapping and have slight ridges. The colour is cream or mauve, or the lilac of the name by which it is traded. The staminal tube structure contains numerous whorled anthers, these are yellow. The five styles of this are fused until the tip, which is composed of swollen and apparently divided stigma. This is supported on a five-lobed calyx, within an arrangement of up to 10 partly fused bracts.

As with all the Malvales, the flowers last around a day – becoming deeply coloured and papery when spent. They are numerous in the long flowering period between June and January.

Taxonomy

Illustration Lilac hibiscus by Ellis Rowan in the 1880s Alyogyne huegelii (Rowan).jpg
Illustration Lilac hibiscus by Ellis Rowan in the 1880s

The species was formerly placed in Hibiscus as Hibiscus huegelii, taking its name from Charles von Hügel (Baron von Huegel). The Alyogyne genus has since been revised and the varieties, such as Hibiscus huegelii var. leptochlamys (mauve) and Hibiscus huegelii var. wrayae (white) are no longer classed as subspecies or cultivars. Paul Fryxell, in the journal "Australian Plants" (1966), described the species as one of two in a uniquely Australian genus. Along with Hibiscus hakeifolia, it was transferred in 1968 to one of four Alyogyne species. Later revisions to FloraBase have included new species and previous classification of Alyogyne huegelii is being reordered within the genus. The following varieties are unpublished, though current;

Distribution

Preference for temperate and sandy coastal plains from Geraldton to the Esperance Plains, predominantly those of the north and south mallee shrubland and heath. A wide range of habitat includes that on sands, limestone and clay, and granite, where it extends to the Coolgardie region. The distribution of the Alyogyne species in South Australia is likely to be that of another species.

Cultivation

A large number of variants in the species have been cultivated, the colours of white, cream, purple. lilac, mauve, and the somewhat erroneous blue are traded as varieties or cultivars. The natural variance of leaf form has also been exploited in the selection of plants for the market, fine or dissected leaves may have been hybridised with Alyogyne hakeifolia . The former name of Hibiscus huegelii, along with other synonyms, are still given in some sources.

Propagation is successful by cuttings, well drained soil, avoidance of frosts and the usual caution regarding phosphorus and species from the region is recommended. The sparse lower branching habit of the species, and inducement to a desirable habit, is achieved by heavy pruning after flowering.

The species was grown in English greenhouses during the nineteenth century and is now grown in temperate climates of the United States of America and Europe.

Related Research Articles

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<i>Alyogyne</i> genus of plant in the family Malvaceae

Alyogyne is a genus of flowering plants in the family Malvaceae which are endemic to Australia. Its species were formerly in the genus Hibiscus but were split off starting in 1863 with H. hakaeifolius. In 1915 Lewton transferred H. cuneiformis and in Fryxell (1968) H. pinonianus and H. huegelii followed. A recent revision has created many new species.

<i>Chamelaucium uncinatum</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Prostanthera lasianthos</i> Species of tree

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<i>Verticordia huegelii</i> Species of flowering plant

Verticordia huegelii, commonly known as variegated featherflower, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a sometimes an erect shrub, sometimes sprawling to almost prostrate. It has linear leaves and very feathery flowers in spring. The flowers are usually cream-coloured or white, becoming pinkish and reddish or maroon as the flowers age, giving a variegated appearance to the display.

<i>Alyogyne hakeifolia</i> Species of plant in the family Malvaceae

Alyogyne hakeifolia is a species of flowering plant in the Malvaceae family. It is endemic to the southern regions of Australia. The plant is similar to a Hibiscus and was assumed to be part of that genus for many years. It is known to have been cultivated in England since the mid nineteenth century.

<i>Cyrtostylis huegelii</i> Species of orchid

Cyrtostylis huegelii, commonly known as the western common gnat orchid or midge orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to Western Australia. It usually has a single rounded leaf and a flowering spike with up to fifteen pale green and dull red flowers with a purplish, shelf-like labellum. Some authorities regard C. huegelii as a synonym of Cyrtostylis reniformis var. huegelii.

Hibiscus cravenii is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family, Malvaceae, that is endemic to the Northern Territory in Australia.

<i>Cyrtostylis reniformis</i> Species of orchid

Cyrtostylis reniformis, commonly known as common gnat-orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to eastern Australia. It usually has a single kidney-shaped leaf and a flowering spike with up to eight reddish flowers with a shelf-like labellum. Cyrtostylis huegelii is a similar species occurring in Western Australia and which some authorities regard as a synonym of Cyrtostylis reniformis var. huegelii.

Eremophila koobabbiensis, commonly known as Koobabbie eremophila, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with hairy branches, pale green leaves and lilac to pale mauve flowers. It is only known from a single farm where there were 96 mature plants in 2010, but specimens grown from cuttings survive in Victoria (Australia) and South Australia, as well as in Kings Park, Perth.

Verticordia densiflora var. cespitosa is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with small leaves and pink, or pink and white flowers. It is one of five varieties of the species Verticordia densiflora.

<i>Verticordia huegelii <span style="font-style:normal;">var.</span> huegelii</i> Variety of flowering plant

Verticordia huegelii var. huegelii, commonly known as variegated featherflower, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an upright, slender or bushy shrub, with creamish-white flowers turning pink or reddish maroon as they age, giving the plant a variegated appearance. It is similar to Verticordia huegelii var. decumbens but is more upright than that variety and lacks a lignotuber.

<i>Verticordia huegelii <span style="font-style:normal;">var.</span> decumbens</i> Variety of flowering plant

Verticordia huegelii var. decumbens, commonly known as variegated featherflower, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an almost prostrate shrub, with creamish-lemon coloured flowers turning pink then red as they age, giving the plant a variegated appearance. It is similar to Verticordia huegelii var. huegelii but has a lignotuber and a lower growth habit.

Verticordia huegelii var. stylosa, commonly known as variegated featherflower, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a single-stemmed shrub with its growth form depending on its surroundings. It is similar to other varieties of the species but differs in its flower colour and the form of the style and staminodes.

Verticordia huegelii var. tridens, commonly known as variegated featherflower, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a slender, open, sometimes straggly shrub with bright yellow flowers which age to red and then brown and differently-shaped staminodes from the other varieties of the species.

<i>Verticordia serrata</i> Species of flowering plant

Verticordia serrata is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a spindly or openly branched shrub with hairy, egg-shaped leaves and flowers which are golden at first, then fade to a greyish colour.

<i>Conospermum huegelii</i> Species of Australian shrub in the family Proteaceae

Conospermum huegelii, commonly known as the slender smokebush, is a plant endemic to Western Australia.

References

  1. Fryxell, P.A. (1968) Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales Series 2 92(3): 265
  2. "var. glabrescens". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  3. "var. grossulariifolia". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  4. "var. huegelii". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.

Bibliography

  • Rippey, Elizabeth; Rowland (Reinette), Barbara (2004) [1995]. Coastal Plants: Perth and the south-west region (2nd ed.). Perth: University of Western Australia Press. pp. 42, 43. ISBN   1-920694-05-6.
  • ANBG staff (1976) (2003-12-16). " Alyogyne huegelii". Growing Native Plants. Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG). Archived from the original on 8 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-27. The best way to propagate A. huegelii is by half-hardened tip cuttings 7–8 cm long, although soft tip cuttings also do well.
  • Colleen Keena (December 2002). "Alyogyne: An Update". Australian Plants online. Association of Societies for Growing Australian Plants. Archived from the original on 2008-01-12. Retrieved 2008-04-12.