Anisomeles ajugacea

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Anisomeles ajugacea
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Anisomeles
Species:
A. ajugacea
Binomial name
Anisomeles ajugacea

Anisomeles ajugacea is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to Queensland. It is a low-lying shrub with egg-shaped to heart-shaped stem-leaves with a gradual transition to flora bracts on the upper part of the stem, and small groups of pink flowers.

Contents

Description

Anisomeles ajugacea is a low-lying to prostrate shrub that typically grows to a height of 5–20 cm (2.0–7.9 in) and is sparsely covered with hairs. The leaves are egg-shaped to heart-shaped, 16–29 mm (0.63–1.14 in) long and 14–24 mm (0.55–0.94 in) wide with between two and four teeth on each side. The leaves are arranaged along the stem with the upper leaves transitioning to floral bracts that are egg-shaped, 5–13 mm (0.20–0.51 in) long and 3–7 mm (0.12–0.28 in) wide. The flowers are arranged in groups of three to five with spatula-shaped bracteoles 5–10 mm (0.20–0.39 in) long and 1–3 mm (0.039–0.118 in) wide. The lower lip of the corolla is pink, 9.8–11.3 mm (0.39–0.44 in) long and the stamens are 12–14 mm (0.47–0.55 in) long. Flowering occurs from April to July and the fruit is a schizocarp containing nutlets 2.3–2.6 mm (0.091–0.102 in) long. [2]

Taxonomy

This species was first formally described in 1888 by Frederick Manson Bailey and Ferdinand von Mueller who gave it the name Teucrium ajugaceum. [3] In 2015, Anthony Bean changed the name to Anisomeles ajugacea in the journal Austrobaileya . [2] [4]

For many years, the species was thought to be extinct, until it was rediscovered on Cape York, between Cooktown and Lockhart River in May 2004. Previous to this, the species had not been seen since 1891. [5] [6]

Distribution and habitat

Anisomelea ajugacea grows on low rises and flats in woodland within a 40 km (25 mi) radius of Musgrave on the Cape York Peninsula of Queensland. [2]

Conservation status

This species is listed as of "least concern" under the Queensland Government Nature Conservation Act 1992 . [7]

Related Research Articles

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

Anisomeles is a genus of herbs of the family Lamiaceae and is native to China, the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, New Guinea, Australia, Madagascar, and some Pacific and Indian Ocean islands. Plants in the genus Anisomeles have small, flat, narrow elliptic to narrow e.g.-shaped leaves arranged in opposite pairs, the edges of the leaves sometimes wavy or serrated. The flowers are arranged in groups, with five sepals and five petals in two "lips", the lower lip with three lobes, the middle lobe much longer than the side lobes. There are four stamens that extend beyond the petals and a single style in a depression on top of the ovary. The fruit is a schizocarp with four nutlets containing small seeds.

<i>Teucrium racemosum</i> Species of plant

Teucrium racemosum, commonly known as grey germander or forest germander, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to continental Australia. It is a perennial herb, with four-sided, densely hairy stems, narrow egg-shaped leaves, and white flowers usually arranged singly in leaf axils.

<i>Teucrium corymbosum</i>

Teucrium corymbosum, commonly known as forest germander, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is native to Australia and New Guinea. It is a perennial herb or subshrub densely covered with glands and with narrow egg-shaped leaves usually with toothed edges, and groups of mostly up to ten white flowers.

<i>Crepidium fimbriatum</i> Species of orchid

Crepidium fimbriatum, commonly known as the fringed spur orchid, is a plant in the orchid family and is endemic to tropical Far North Queensland. It is an evergreen, terrestrial orchid with a fleshy stem, wavy leaves and many purple flowers crowded on a purple flowering stem.

<i>Leptospermum lamellatum</i>

Leptospermum lamellatum is a species of shrub or small tree that is endemic to inland Queensland and has distinctive reddish, layered bark. It has narrow elliptical leaves, white flowers and small fruit that fall from the plant when mature.

<i>Prostanthera clotteniana</i>

Prostanthera clotteniana is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to tropical north Queensland. It is a shrub with cylindrical, hairy branches, narrow egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and purple to pale lilac flowers.

<i>Teucrium argutum</i>

Teucrium argutum, commonly known as native germander, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a perennial herb often suckering, with hairy, broadly egg-shaped leaves with toothed or wavy edges, and pink-purple flowers.

Teucrium betchei is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a perennial herb or undershrub with rod-like stems, linear to very narrow lance-shaped leaves and white flowers.

Teucrium disjunctum is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to inland Australia. It is an erect, openly-branched, hairy, greyish-white shrub, usually with egg-shaped to elliptic leaves, and white flowers arranged singly in leaf axils.

<i>Teucrium eremaeum</i>

Teucrium eremaeum is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a perennial herb or shrub with small, linear to lance-shaped leaves and white or cream-coloured flowers.

Teucrium grandiusculum is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to central Australia. It is a perennial herb or shrub with toothed, egg-shaped leaves and white flowers.

<i>Teucrium integrifolium</i> Species of plants

Teucrium integrifolium, commonly known as teucry weed or green germander, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to northern Australia. It is a perennial herb with broadly elliptic to broadly egg-shaped leaves and white or cream-coloured flowers.

<i>Teucrium junceum</i>

Teucrium junceum is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a srambling, openly-branched shrub, with small leaves, white flowers and orange to red fruit.

Teucrium micranthum is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, and is endemic to a restricted area of Queensland. It is an erect subshrub with small, aromatic, egg-shaped to elliptic leaves and small white flowers.

Teucrium myriocladum is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with small, hairy leaves and creamy-green flowers.

Teucrium pilbaranum is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, and is endemic to the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It is an upright subshrub with three-part or deeply-lobed leaves and white flowers.

Teucrium puberulum, commonly known as red berry stick plant, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, and is endemic to inland areas of eastern Australia. It is an erect shrub covered with star-shaped hairs, and with linear to lance-shaped leaves, greenish-white flowers and reddish fruit.

Teucrium reidii is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, and is endemic to north-western South Australia. It is a shrub with egg-shaped leaves with blunt teeth on the edges, and white flowers arranged in spike-like groups.

Teucrium sessiliflorum, commonly known as camel bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to southern continental Australia. It is a tufted perennial herb with hairy, egg-shaped, lobed leaves and white or cream-coloured flowers.

<i>Teucrium teucriiflorum</i>

Teucrium teucriiflorum is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, and is endemic to arid and semi-arid areas of Australia. It is a semi-scandent shrub with many branches, linear to narrow lance-shaped or narrow egg-shaped leaves and creamy-white flowers.

References

  1. "Anisomeles ajugacea". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Bean, Anthony R. (2015). "A taxonomic revision of Anisomeles R.Br. (Lamiaceae)" (PDF). Austrobaileya. 9 (3): 343–344. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  3. "Teucrium ajugaceum". APNI. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  4. "Anisomeles ajugacea". APNI. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  5. "'Extinct' plants rediscovered". ABC News. 12 April 2008.
  6. "'Extinct' plant found in mint condition" (PDF). EQ Newsletter Issue 26 September 2004. Environmental Protection Agency Queensland. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 August 2008.
  7. "Species profile—Anisomeles ajugacea". Queensland Government Department of Environment and Science. Retrieved 4 March 2021.