Asterolasia beckersii

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Dungowan starbush
Asterolasia beckersii (2).jpg
Asterolasia beckersii
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Rutaceae
Genus: Asterolasia
Species:
A. beckersii
Binomial name
Asterolasia beckersii
Synonyms [1]

Asterolasia sp. 'Dungowan Creek'

Asterolasia beckersii, commonly known as Dungowan starbush, [2] is a species of erect shrub in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to a restricted area of New South Wales. It has woolly, star-shaped hairs on its branchlets, egg-shaped to lance-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base and covered with star-shaped hairs, and white flowers arranged singly in leaf axils, the back of the petals covered with star-like hairs.

Contents

Description

Asterolasia beckersii is an erect shrub that typically grows to a height of 1.5–3.5 m (4 ft 11 in – 11 ft 6 in) with its branchlets covered with woolly, fawnish star-shaped hairs. The leaves are egg-shaped to lance-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, 15–40 mm (0.59–1.57 in) long and 5–12 mm (0.20–0.47 in) wide on a petiole about 5 mm (0.20 in) long. The upper surface of the leaves is sparsely hairy and the lower surface covered with greenish to fawnish, woolly, star-shaped hairs. The flowers are arranged singly in leaf axils on a pedicel 2–7 mm (0.079–0.276 in) long. The petals are white, about 6 mm (0.24 in) long and covered on the back with woolly, white star-shaped hairs. Flowering has been observed in October. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy

Asterolasia beckersii was first formally described in 2017 by Andrew Orme and Marco Duretto in the journal Telopea from specimens collected near Dungowan Dam near Tamworth in 2003. [4] The specific epithet (beckersii) honours Doug Beckers for discovering the species. [5]

Distribution and habitat

Dungowan starbush is only known from the type location where in grows in rocky soil along a creekbank. [3]

Conservation status

This plant is listed as "endangered" under the New South Wales Government Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 . The main threats to the species are its small population size and restricted distribution, road and track maintenance and weed invasion. [2]

Related Research Articles

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<i>Boronia chartacea</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Boronia hapalophylla</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Boronia verecunda</i> Species of flowering plant

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

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

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

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Asterolasia muricata, commonly known as lemon star-bush, is a species of small, slender, erect shrub that is endemic to South Australia. It has leathery leaves covered with rough points and with the edges rolled under, and yellow flowers arranged singly or in groups of up to three, with woolly star-shaped hairs on the back of the petals.

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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.

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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.

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References

  1. 1 2 "Asterolasia beckersii". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 "Dungowan starbush - profile". New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  3. 1 2 "Asterolasia beckersii". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  4. 1 2 Orme, Andrew E.; Duretto, Marco F. (2017). "Asterolasia beckersii (Rutaceae), a new species from the Northern Tablelands, New South Wales". Telopea. 20: 165–169. doi: 10.7751/telopea11292 .
  5. "Asterolasia beckersii". APNI. Retrieved 25 June 2020.