Andersonia caerulea

Last updated

Andersonia caerulea
Andersonia caerulea.jpg
In the Chorkerup Nature Reserve, near Narrikup
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Ericaceae
Genus: Andersonia
Species:
A. caerulea
Binomial name
Andersonia caerulea
Synonyms [1]
List
    • Andersonia brachyanthera F.Muell. nom. inval., pro syn.
    • Andersonia brachyanthera(F.Muell.) Benth.
    • Andersonia coeruleaR.Br. orth. var.
    • Andersonia depressa var. ciliataBenth.
    • Andersonia lanuginosa A.Cunn. ex DC.
    • Andersonia prostrata Sond.
    • Andersonia squarrosaR.Br.
    • Andersonia subulataBenth.
    • Sprengelia brachyantheraF.Muell.
    • Sprengelia caerulea(R.Br.) F.Muell.
    • Sprengelia coeruleaF.Muell. orth. var.
Flower detail Andersonia caerulea detail.jpg
Flower detail

Andersonia caerulea, commonly known as foxtails, [2] is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is an erect or spreading to low-lying shrub with variably-shaped leaves and pink and pale blue flowers, sometimes in spike-like groups.

Contents

Description

Andersonia caerulea is an erect, or spreading to low-lying shrub that typically grows to a height of 0.05–1 m (2.0 in – 3 ft 3.4 in). Taller, erect plants have flowers arranged in a compact spike, but low-lying plants have flowers arranged otherwise. The leaves are variable in shape and size, egg-shaped to lance-shaped or linear, sometimes twisted or wavy, sometimes with a pointed tip, variably hairy or glabrous. There are 15 to 25 leaves or bracteoles at the base of the flower, the sepals 5–12 mm (0.20–0.47 in) long and longer than the bracteoles. The sepals are lance-shaped, pink, lilac, or pale blue and the petals are shorter than the sepals, usually pale blue, and densely bearded inside the petal tube. [2] [3]

Taxonomy

Andersonia caerulea was first formally described in 1810 by Robert Brown in his Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae from specimens he collected at King George Sound in 1801. [3] [4] [5] The specific epithet (caerulea) means "deep sky-blue". [6]

Distribution and habitat

Foxtails grows in sandy soil and is widespread in the south-west of Western Australia, occurring in the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest, Mallee, Swan Coastal Plain and Warren bioregions. [2]

Related Research Articles

<i>Leucopogon verticillatus</i> Species of flowering plant

Leucopogon verticillatus, commonly known as tassel flower, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is an erect, bamboo-like shrub with broadly lance-shaped leaves and pink, tube-shaped flowers crowded along spikes in leaf axils and on the ends of branches.

<i>Andersonia</i> (plant) Genus of flowering plants

Andersonia is a genus of mostly small, evergreen shrubs in the family Ericaceae and is endemic to the Southwest Botanical Province in Western Australia.

<i>Styphelia adscendens</i> Species of plant

Styphelia adscendens, commonly known as golden heath, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a prostrate or low-lying shrub with lance-shaped leaves and cream-coloured, pale yellowish-green or reddish flowers arranged singly or in paris in leaf axils.

<i>Acrotriche divaricata</i> Species of flowering plant

Acrotriche divaricata is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It is a bushy shrub with sharply-pointed lance-shaped leaves and spikes of 3 to 5 green or cream-coloured flowers and spherical, red drupes.

<i>Styphelia setigera</i> Species of shrub

Styphelia setigera is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to eastern New South Wales. It is an erect to spreading shrub with lance-shaped to elliptic leaves, and white, tube-shaped flowers arranged singly or in pairs in leaf axils, forming a spike 10–16 mm (0.39–0.63 in) long.

<i>Leucopogon gracilis</i> Species of shrub

Leucopogon gracilis is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is a spindly shrub with wiry branchlets, linear to lance-shaped leaves, and dense spikes of white or pinkish flowers.

<i>Prostanthera caerulea</i> Species of flowering plant

Prostanthera caerulea, commonly known as lilac mint bush, is a species of flowering plant that is endemic to eastern Australia. It is an erect shrub with narrow egg-shaped leaves that have toothed edges, and white to bluish mauve flowers arranged on the ends of branchlets.

<i>Goodenia coerulea</i> Species of plant

Goodenia coerulea is a species of flowering plant in the family Goodeniaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, perennial shrub or biennial herb shrub with linear leaves at the base of the plant, sometimes with a few teeth on the edges, racemes of blue flowers and oval fruit.

<i>Goodenia pterigosperma</i> Species of plant

Goodenia pterigosperma is a species of flowering plant in the family Goodeniaceae and is endemic to south-coastal areas in the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect to sprawling, glabrous perennial herb or shrub with linear to lance-shaped leaves mostly at the base of the plant, and racemes of dark blue flowers.

<i>Leucopogon assimilis</i> Species of shrub

Leucopogon assimilis is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is an erect, slender shrub with linear or lance-shaped leaves and pink to white, tube-shaped flowers.

<i>Leucopogon carinatus</i> Species of plant

Leucopogon carinatus is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect or spreading shrub that typically grows to a height of 0.15–1.2 m and has many branches. Its leaves are oval to lance-shaped or almost linear and mostly 4–6.5 mm (0.16–0.26 in) long. The flowers are borne on short, dense spikes on the ends of branches or in upper leaf axils with small bracts and bracteoles about half as long as the sepals. The sepals are about 5.3 mm (0.21 in) long, rigid and pointed. The petals are white and 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) long, the petal lobes longer than the petal tube. Flowering mainly occurs from July to December.

<i>Leucopogon distans</i> Species of shrub

Leucopogon distans is a flowering plant in the family Ericaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub that typically grows to a height of 0.2–1.2 m. The leaves are heart-shaped to egg-shaped or lance-shaped, 2–4.5 mm (0.079–0.177 in) long with the edges rolled under. The flowers are arranged in spikes on the ends of branches or in upper leaf axils, the flowers well-spaced from each other, with small bracts and broad bracteoles at the base. The sepals are about 4 mm (0.16 in) long, the petal tube about the same length as the sepals, the lobes about twice as long. Flowering occurs from July to February.

<i>Leucopogon glabellus</i> Species of shrub

Leucopogon glabellus is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, glabrous shrub with slender branchlets, heart-shaped to lance-shaped leaves, and cylindrical spikes of white flowers.

<i>Leucopogon interruptus</i> Species of shrub

Leucopogon interruptus is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is a spreading, glabrous shrub with oval to oblong leaves crowded at the ends of branches, and many small, white, tube-shaped flowers that are bearded inside.

<i>Leucopogon polystachyus</i> Species of plant

Leucopogon polystachyus is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a slender, erect, usually glabrous shrub that typically grows to a height of 0.4–2 m. Its leaves are linear to lance-shaped, 8.5–17 mm (0.33–0.67 in) long with a rigid, sharply-pointed tip on the end. The flowers are borne on the ends of branches or in leaf axils in short, dense spikes with small, egg-shaped bracts and bracteoles about half as long as the sepals. The sepals are about 3.2 mm (0.13 in) long and often pale pink, and the petals are white, about 4 mm (0.16 in) long and joined at the base, forming a tube, the petal lobes longer than the petal tube.

<i>Leucopogon reflexus</i> Species of plant

Leucopogon reflexus, commonly known as heart-leaf beard-heath, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with small, usually downturned leaves and short, dense spikes of tube-shaped, white flowers.

Styphelia striata is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is an erect to spreading shrub with egg-shaped leaves and white, tube-shaped flowers arranged in dense spikes on the ends of branches and in upper leaf axils.

<i>Leucopogon tamariscinus</i> Species of shrub

Leucopogon tamariscinus is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with egg-shaped or lance-shaped leaves and white, tube-shaped flowers arranged in dense spikes on the ends of branches.

<i>Acrotriche serrulata</i> Species of plant

Acrotriche serrulata, commonly known as honey pots, is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae, and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a low-lying, mat-forming shrub with lance-shaped to linear leaves, pale green to whitish, cylindrical flowers and greyish-green fruit.

<i>Acrotriche aggregata</i> Species of plant

Acrotriche aggregata, commonly known as red cluster heath, tall acrotriche or tall groundberry is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is an erect, spreading shrub, with elliptic to egg-shaped leaves, and spikes of tube-shaped, pale green, cream-coloured or white flowers, and succulent red drupes.

References

  1. 1 2 "Andersonia caerulea". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 "Andersonia caerulea". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  3. 1 2 Watson, Leslie (1962). "A taxonomic revision of the genus Andersonia R.Br. (Epacridaceae)". Kew Bulletin. 16 (1): 85–95. doi:10.2307/4120354 . Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  4. "Andersonia caerulea". APNI. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  5. Brown, Robert (1810). Prodromus Florae Novae Holliandiae. London. p. 554. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  6. Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 154. ISBN   9780958034180.