Anigozanthos humilis

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Anigozanthos humilis
Anigozanthos humilis Gnangarra-11.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Commelinales
Family: Haemodoraceae
Genus: Anigozanthos
Species:
A. humilis
Binomial name
Anigozanthos humilis
Anigozanthos humilis Haemodoraceae8.png
Occurrence data from AVH
Synonyms
  • Anigozanthos dorrieniiDomin
  • Anigozanthos minimusLehm.
  • Anigozanthus minimaLehm. nom. inval.

Anigozanthos humilis is a species of Anigozanthos in the family Haemodoraceae. This flowering perennial plant is endemic to Southwest Australia and widespread in its open forests. Common names include catspaw and common catspaw.

Contents

Taxonomy

The species was first described by John Lindley in the 1840 work A sketch of the vegetation of the Swan River Colony . [2] Three subspecies have also been described and recognised. [3] The genus name Anigozanthos possibly combines Ancient Greek words "anisos", meaning unequal, and "anthos", meaning flower (in reference to the shape of the flowers). The specific epithet, humilis, means "low-growing". [4]

The common name catspaw was initially applied to this species, then for several other species of Anigozanthos, this is assumed to have been coined to contrast these with larger flowers and scapes of 'kangaroo paws'. [2] [5] The widely occurring A. humilis subsp. humilis is referred to as the common catspaw. [6]

Description

The species has a basal rosette of long strap-like leaves, emerging at the soil's surface from a rhizome beneath. A raceme of flowers appear at the terminus of long stalks, giving the plant a height up to one metre. The tuberous form of the flower bud is yellow, becoming orange then red at the opening. [4] It is typically 0.4-1 meter tall and 0.3-0.6 meters across. [5]

Conservation status

While the subspecies Anigozanthos humilis subsp. humilis is common, and unthreatened, the rarer subspecies described by Stephen Hopper are listed with a conservation status. Anigozanthos humilis subsp. Badgingarra is listed by the Dept of Environment and Conservation as poorly known. [7] and the subspecies Anigozanthos humilis subsp. chrysanthus, the golden catspaw, has been listed as rare by the same body. [8]

Cultivation

A sketch of the vegetation of the Swan River Colony, 1839, John Lindley Appendix to the first twenty-three volumes of Edwards's Botanical Register - Plate 6.png
A sketch of the vegetation of the Swan River Colony, 1839, John Lindley

The plant is widely cultivated, and is able to tolerate hot and humid climates, but requires winter protection in temperate regions. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. [9] It does best in sunny locations with well-drained soil. [4]

Related Research Articles

<i>Anigozanthos</i> Genus of flowering plants

Anigozanthos is a genus of Southwest Australian plants of the bloodwort family Haemodoraceae. The 11 species and their subspecies are commonly known as kangaroo paw or catspaw, depending on their size, and the shape and colour of their flowers. A further species, previously identified as Anigozanthos fuliginosus, was separated to a monotypic genus as Macropidia fuliginosa.

<i>Anigozanthos manglesii</i> Species of flowering plant

Anigozanthos manglesii, commonly known as the red-and-green kangaroo paw, Mangles' kangaroo paw, kurulbrang (Noongar), is a plant species endemic to Western Australia, and the floral emblem of that state.

<i>Macropidia</i> Genus of flowering plants

Macropidia fuliginosa, the sole species of genus Macropidia, is a perennial rhizomatous flowering plant. A relation of the kangaroo paws, Anigozanthus, which are also endemic to Southwest Australia, it is referred to as the black kangaroo paw. Bearing unusual black and green flowers, it occurs on a coastal plain from Perth to Geraldton.

<i>Conostylis</i> Genus of flowering plants

Conostylis is a genus of perennial herbs in the Haemodoraceae family, commonly known as cone flowers. All species are endemic to the south west of Western Australia.

<i>Drosera stolonifera</i> Species of carnivorous plant

Drosera stolonifera, sometimes referred to as the leafy sundew, is a tuberous perennial species in the genus Drosera that is endemic to Western Australia. It produces 2 to 3 semi-erect lateral stems that grow 10 to 15 cm long. It is most closely related to D. purpurascens, but differs by several characteristics including height and petiole length. It is native to a number of swampy locations around Perth south to Pinjarra. It grows in peaty water-logged soils in swamp heathland and flowers from September to October. After a bushfire it will flower en masse.

<i>Anigozanthos flavidus</i> Species of plant found in Southwest Australia

Anigozanthos flavidus is a species of plant found in Southwest Australia. It is member of the Haemodoraceae family. It is commonly known as the tall, yellow, or evergreen, kangaroo paw. The specific epithet, flavidus, refers to the yellow flowers of this plant.

<i>Drosera macrophylla</i> Species of carnivorous plant

Drosera macrophylla, the showy sundew, is a perennial tuberous species in the genus Drosera that is endemic to Western Australia. It grows in a rosette with leaves 4 cm (2 in) long and 2 cm (1 in) wide. It is a common species east of Perth. It grows in loam soils. It flowers from June to October. D. macrophylla was first described by John Lindley in his 1839 publication A sketch of the vegetation of the Swan River Colony. In 1992, Allen Lowrie and Sherwin Carlquist described a new subspecies, D. macrophylla subsp. monantha, which is distinguished from D. macrophylla subsp. macrophylla by its single-flowered or rarely biflowered inflorescences. Subspecies monantha is abundant in the Bruce Rock/Merredin region.

<i>Grevillea synapheae</i> Species of shrub in the family Proteaceae endemic to Western Australia

Grevillea synapheae, commonly known as catkin grevillea, is species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is a prostrate to erect shrub usually with divided leaves with 3 to 7 triangular to more or less linear lobes, and clusters of white to creamy yellow flowers.

<i>Eucalyptus arachnaea</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus arachnaea, commonly known as the black-stemmed mallee, is a mallee or tree that is endemic to Western Australia. It has rough, stringy bark, lance-shaped leaves and white flowers in groups of up to thirteen.

Eucalyptus mimica is a species of mallet that is endemic to a small area of Western Australia. It has smooth, shiny bark, linear to narrow elliptical leaves held erect, flower buds in groups of three and conical fruit with ribbed sides.

Eucalyptus subangusta is a species of tree, mallee or mallet that is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It has smooth bark, narrow lance-shaped leaves, flower buds in groups of up to nineteen, white flowers and cup-shaped to barrel-shaped fruit.

Eucalyptus thamnoides, also known as brown mallee, is a species of mallee that is endemic to south western Western Australia. It has smooth bark, lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of seven, cream-coloured to pale yellow flowers and cup-shaped, conical or bell-shaped fruit.

<i>Grevillea shuttleworthiana</i> Species of shrub in the family Proteaceae endemic to Western Australia

Grevillea shuttleworthiana is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a more or less erect shrub with variably-shaped leaves, the shape depending on subspecies, and cylindrical clusters of cream-coloured to yellow or greenish flowers, often held above the foliage.

<i>Eucalyptus crucis</i> Species of grass

Eucalyptus crucis is a species of mallee that is endemic to Western Australia. There are three subspecies, commonly known as silver mallee or Southern Cross mallee,, narrow-leaved silver mallee, and Paynes Find mallee,. It has rough bark that is shed in curling flakes, more or less round, glaucous juvenile leaves, egg-shaped intermediate leaves and lance-shaped adult leaves. The type of bark and the proportion of juvenile, intermediate and adult leaves in the crown of mature plants varies with subspecies. The flower buds are arranged in groups of seven in leaf axils, the flowers are whitish to pale yellow and the fruit is a conical to hemispherical capsule.

<i>Eucalyptus densa</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus densa is a species of mallee or mallet that is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth greyish bark that is shed in curly strips, linear to narrow lance-shaped adult leaves, long, spindle-shaped flower buds in groups of seven or nine, pale yellow or lemon-coloured flowers and conical, cylindrical or barrel-shaped fruit.

<i>Anigozanthos gabrielae</i> Species of flowering plant

Anigozanthos gabrielae is a species of Anigozanthos in the family Haemodoraceae known as dwarf kangaroo paw. This flowering, rhizomatous, perennial plant is endemic to Southwest Australia and grows on sand in areas which are wet in winter.

<i>Anigozanthos rufus</i> Species of flowering plant

Anigozanthos rufus is a grass-like evergreen perennial plant native to the southern coasts of Western Australia. Common names include red kangaroo paw, crimson kangaroo paw, and backdraft.

<i>Anigozanthos viridis</i> Species of flowering plant

Anigozanthos viridis, commonly known as Green Kangaroo Paw, is a grass-like perennial herb native to south western coastal regions of Western Australia. The Noongar peoples know the plant as Koroylbardany.

<i>Anigozanthos bicolor</i> Species of flowering plant

Anigozanthos bicolor, commonly known as cat's paw, little kangaroo paw or two coloured kangaroo paw, is a grass-like perennial herb native to the south western coastal parts of Western Australia.

<i>Anigozanthos onycis</i> Species of flowering plant

Anigozanthos onycis, the branched catspaw, is a rarely seen plant found in Southwest Australia.

References

  1. "Anigozanthos humilis". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
  2. 1 2 "Anigozanthos humilis Lindl". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  3. FloraBase genus=anigozanthos Archived 15 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  4. 1 2 3 "Anigozanthos humilis". anpsa.org.au. Archived from the original on 9 April 2019. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  5. 1 2 "Gardening With Angus".
  6. Hopper, Stephen; Wells, B. & B. (photography); Pieroni, M. (illustration) (1993). Kangaroo paws and catspaws; a natural history and field guide. Perth: CALM.
  7. "Anigozanthos humilis subsp. Badgingarra (S.D. Hopper 7114)". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  8. "Anigozanthos humilis subsp. chrysanthus Hopper". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  9. "RHS Plant Selector - Anigozanthos humilis" . Retrieved 25 May 2013.