Asterolasia

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Asterolasia
Asterolasia hexapetala.jpg
Asterolasia hexapetala
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Rutaceae
Subfamily: Zanthoxyloideae
Genus: Asterolasia
F.Muell. [1]
Synonyms [1]
  • Actinostigma Turcz.
  • Asterolasia sect. Pleurandropsis (Baill.) Kuntze
  • Asterolasia sect. Urocarpus (Drumm. ex Harv.) Benth.
  • Phebalium a. Correoides Endl.
  • Phebalium sect. Correoides (Endl.) Pfeiff.
  • PleurandropsisBaill.
  • UrocarpusJ.Drumm. ex Harv.

Asterolasia is a genus of seventeen species of erect or prostrate shrubs in the family Rutaceae, and is endemic to Australia. The leaves are simple and arranged alternately, the flowers arranged in umbel-like groups on the ends of branchlets or in leaf axils, usually with five sepals, five petals and ten to twenty-five stamens. There are seventeen species and they are found in all Australian mainland states but not in the Northern Territory.

Contents

Description

Plants in the genus Asterolasia are erect or prostrate shrubs. They have simple leaves arranged alternately along the stems, and are simple with smooth edges. The flowers are bisexual and have five sepals, five petals and ten to twenty-five stamens. The sepals, petals and stamens are all free from each other, the stamens slightly shorter than the petals. There are five carpels fused at the base, sometimes to the tip usually with a small beak with the styles fused to each other with a shield-shaped stigma. The fruit is composed of up to five follicle and the dull, black seeds are released explosively. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Taxonomy

The genus Asterolasia was first formally described in 1854 by Ferdinand von Mueller in Transactions of the Philosophical Society of Victoria . [7] [8]

Species list

The following is a list of species and subspecies recognised by the Australian Plant Census as at June 2020: [1]

Distribution

Species of Asterolasia are found in all mainland states of Australia and in the Australian Capital Territory, but not in Tasmania or the Northern Territory. [1]

Related Research Articles

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

Correa is a genus of eleven species of flowering plants in the family Rutaceae that are endemic to Australia. Plants in the genus Correa are shrubs to small trees with simple leaves arranged in opposite pairs, bisexual flowers with four sepals, four petals usually fused for most of their length and eight stamens.

<i>Leptospermum</i> Genus of shrubs

Leptospermum is a genus of shrubs and small trees in the myrtle family Myrtaceae commonly known as tea trees, although this name is sometimes also used for some species of Melaleuca. Most species are endemic to Australia, with the greatest diversity in the south of the continent, but some are native to other parts of the world, including New Zealand and Southeast Asia. Leptospermums all have five conspicuous petals and five groups of stamens which alternate with the petals. There is a single style in the centre of the flower and the fruit is a woody capsule.

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

Leucopogon is a genus of about 150-160 species of shrubs or small trees in the family Ericaceae, in the section of that family formerly treated as the separate family Epacridaceae. They are native to Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, the western Pacific Islands and Malaysia, with the greatest species diversity in southeastern Australia. Plants in this genus have leaves with a few more or less parallel veins, and tube-shaped flowers usually with a white beard inside.

<i>Prostanthera</i> Genus of plants

Prostanthera, commonly known as mintbush or mint bush, is a genus of about 100 species of flowering plants in the mint family Lamiaceae, and all are endemic to Australia. Plants are usually shrubs, rarely trees with leaves in opposite pairs. The flowers are arranged in panicles in the leaf axils or on the ends of branchlets. The sepals are joined at the base with two lobes. The petals are usually blue to purple or white, joined in a tube with two "lips", the lower lip with three lobes and the upper lip with two lobes or notched.

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

Bosistoa is a genus of four species of tree in the family Rutaceae endemic to eastern Australia. They have simple or compound leaves arranged in opposite pairs and bisexual flowers arranged in panicles, each flower with five sepals, five white petals and ten stamens.

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

Kunzea is a genus of plants in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to Australasia. They are shrubs, sometimes small trees and usually have small, crowded, rather aromatic leaves. The flowers are similar to those of plants in the genus Leptospermum but differ in having stamens that are longer than the petals. Most kunzeas are endemic to Western Australia but a few occur in eastern Australia and a few are found in New Zealand. The taxonomy of the genus is not settled and is complicated by the existence of a number of hybrids.

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

Isotoma is a genus of annual and perennial herbs in the family Campanulaceae and are native to Australia and New Zealand.

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

Philotheca is a genus of about fifty species of flowering plants in the family Rutaceae. Plants in this genus are shrubs with simple leaves arranged alternately along the stems, flowers that usually have five sepals, five petals and ten stamens that curve inwards over the ovary. All species are endemic to Australia and there are species in every state, but not the Northern Territory.

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

Thryptomene is a genus of flowering plants in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to Australia. Plants in the genus Thryptomene are shrubs with small leaves arranged in opposite pairs and white or pink flowers. About forty-seven species of Thryptomene, occurring in all Australian states and the Northern Territory, have been formally described.

<i>Phebalium</i> Genus of shrubs

Phebalium is a genus of thirty species of shrubs or small trees in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to Australia. The leaves are arranged alternately, simple and often warty, the flowers arranged singly or in umbels on the ends of branchlets or in leaf axils, usually with five sepals, five petals and ten stamens. There are about thirty species and they are found in all Australian states but not in the Northern Territory.

<i>Bossiaea</i> Genus of legumes

Bossiaea is a genus of about 78 species of flowering plants in the pea family Fabaceae and is endemic to Australia. Plants in this genus often have stems and branches modified as cladodes, simple, often much reduced leaves, flowers with the upper two sepal lobes larger than the lower three, usually orange to yellow petals with reddish markings, and the fruit a more or less flattened pod.

<i>Leionema</i> Genus of shrubs

Leionema is a genus of more than 20 species of mostly small shrubs in the family Rutaceae, most of which are endemic to eastern Australia. Plants within this genus have scented foliage and clustered, star-shaped flowers which range in colour from cream to bright yellow. Prior to 1998, all species within this genus were included in the genus Phebalium.

<i>Styphelia</i> Genus of flowering plants in the heath family Ericaceae

Styphelia is a genus of shrubs in the family Ericaceae and is endemic to Australia. Most have minute or small leaves with a sharp tip, single, tube-shaped flowers arranged in leaf axils and with the ends of the petals rolled back with hairs in the inside of the tube.

<i>Nematolepis</i> Genus of shrubs

Nematolepis is a genus of seven species of plants in the family Rutaceae, all endemic to Australia. They are shrubs or small trees with more or less flat leaves arranged alternately and flowers with five overlapping petals and ten stamens. Six species are found in eastern Australia and one in Western Australia.

<i>Asterolasia trymalioides</i> Species of flowering plant

Asterolasia trymalioides, commonly known as alpine star-bush, is a species of erect, sometimes prostrate shrub that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has leathery, narrow elliptical to circular leaves densely covered with star-shaped hairs on the lower surface, and yellow flowers arranged singly in small groups on the ends of branchlets, the back of the petals covered with brown, star-shaped hairs.

<i>Asterolasia asteriscophora</i> Species of flowering plant

Asterolasia asteriscophora, commonly known as lemon starbush, is a species of slender, erect shrub in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to southern continental Australia. It has woolly, star-shaped hairs on its young branches, variably-shaped leaves covered with brownish or whitish hairs on the underside, and yellow flowers with woolly brown, star-shaped hairs on the back.

<i>Asterolasia drummondii</i> Species of flowering plant

Asterolasia drummondii, commonly known as Gairdner Range starbush, is a species of small shrub that is endemic to a restricted area of the southwest of Western Australia. It has egg-shaped leaves and white flowers arranged in umbels of five to ten flowers with rust-coloured, star-shaped hairs on the back of the petals.

<i>Asterolasia nivea</i> Species of flowering plant

Asterolasia nivea, commonly known as Bindoon starbush, is a species of weak sub-shrub that is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It has leathery oblong to narrow elliptical leaves and white flowers arranged in groups of about three flowers with thick-centred, shield like, star-shaped hairs on the back of the petals.

<i>Asterolasia phebalioides</i> Species of flowering plant

Asterolasia phebalioides, commonly known as downy starbush, is a species of shrub in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It has densely crowded heart-shaped to wedge-shaped leaves densely covered with star-shaped hairs, and single yellow flowers borne on the ends of branchlets with star-shaped hairs on the back of the petals.

<i>Asterolasia rupestris</i> Species of flowering plant

Asterolasia rupestris is a species of erect shrub that is endemic to New South Wales. It has heart-shaped to triangular leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and densely covered with star-shaped hairs. The flowers are yellow and arranged singly or in groups of three to six in leaf axils or on the ends of branchlets, the back of the petals densely covered with rust-coloured, star-shaped hairs.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Asterolasia". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  2. Duretto, Marco f. "Asterolasia". Royal Botanic Gardens, Victoria. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  3. "Genus Asterolasia". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  4. Wilson, Paul G. "Asterolasia F.Muell". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  5. "Asterolasia". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  6. "Asterolasia". State Herbarium of South Australia. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  7. "Asterolasia". APNI. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  8. von Mueller, Ferdinand (1854). "Definitions of rare or hitherto undescribed Australian plants, chiefly collected within the boundaries of the colony of Victoria". Transactions of the Philosophical Society of Victoria. 1: 9. Retrieved 30 June 2020.