Downy starbush | |
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Asterolasia phebalioides in the ANBG | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Sapindales |
Family: | Rutaceae |
Genus: | Asterolasia |
Species: | A. phebalioides |
Binomial name | |
Asterolasia phebalioides | |
Synonyms [1] | |
Asterolasia phebalioides, commonly known as downy starbush, [2] 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.
Asterolasia phebalioides is a shrub that typically grows to a height of 50 cm (20 in) and is more or less covered with woolly, grey hairs and silvery to rust-coloured star-shaped hairs. The leaves are densely crowded on short branches, wedge-shaped to heart-shaped, 5–7 mm (0.20–0.28 in) long and densely covered with star-shaped hairs. The flowers are borne singly on the ends of branchlets with five scaly bracts at the base. The petals are yellow, broadly elliptical, 6–10 mm (0.24–0.39 in) long and covered with star-shaped hairs on the back. Flowering occurs from September to December. [2] [3] [4] [5]
Asterolasia phebalioides was first formally described in 1854 by Ferdinand von Mueller and the description was published in Transactions of the Philosophical Society of Victoria. [6] [7]
Downy starbush grows in woodland, forest and heath and occurs in the Grampians and Little Desert regions of Victoria and on Kangaroo Island in South Australia. [2] [3]
Asterolasia phebalioides is listed as "vulnerable" under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and a recovery plan has been prepared. The main threats to the species include vegetation clearance, weed invasion and disease caused by the fungus Phytophthora cinnamomi . [5] [8]
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.
Asterolasia hexapetala is a species of erect, spreading shrub that is endemic to the Warrumbungles in New South Wales. It has oblong to elliptical leaves with star-shaped hairs, especially on the lower surface, and white flowers arranged in small groups in leaf axils and on the ends of branchlets, the back of the petals densely covered with white, yellow or brown, woolly star-shaped hairs.
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.
Lasiopetalum schulzenii, commonly known as drooping velvet-bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae and is endemic to southern continental Australia. It is a shrub with heart-shaped leaves and small groups of hairy white and reddish-brown flowers.
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.
Pomaderris oraria, commonly known as Bassian dogwood, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rhamnaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a compact shrub with hairy branchlets, hairy, elliptic leaves and panicles of hairy, greenish to cream-coloured or crimson-tinged flowers.
Pomaderris vacciniifolia, commonly known as round-leaf pomaderris, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rhamnaceae and is endemic to Victoria in Australia. It is a shrub with softly-hairy branchlets, elliptic leaves and panicles of creamy-white flowers.
Zieria veronicea, commonly known as the pink zieria, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a small, lemon-scented shrub densely covered with velvety hairs. Up to three flowers with four pink petals appear in leaf axils in late spring.
Asterolasia beckersii, commonly known as Dungowan starbush, 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.
Asterolasia buckinghamii is a species of slender, erect shrub in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to eastern New South Wales. It has star-shaped hairs on its young branches, broadly egg-shaped, hairy leaves and yellow flowers with rust-coloured, star-shaped hairs on the back of the petals.
Asterolasia buxifolia is a species of spindly shrub in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to a restricted area of eastern New South Wales. It has star-shaped hairs on its stems, leathery leaves and yellow flowers arranged singly in leaf axils with star-shaped hairs on the back of the petals.
Asterolasia correifolia is a species of erect shrub that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has white to brown star-shaped hairs on its stems, lance-shaped to elliptical leaves densely covered with white star-shaped hairs on the lower surface, and white to cream-coloured or yellow flowers arranged in umbels of four to ten or more in leaf axils, the back of the petals densely covered with white hairs.
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.
Asterolasia grandiflora is a species of weak, open shrub or sub-shrub that is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It has oblong, elliptical or egg-shaped leaves and pink to mauve flowers arranged in umbels of about three flowers with a thick covering of star-shaped hairs on the back of the petals.
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.
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.
Asterolasia pallida is a species of woody, perennial herb that is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It has elliptical leaves and white flowers arranged in umbels of three to six with star-shaped hairs on the back of the petals and fifteen to twenty-five stamens.
Asterolasia squamuligera, commonly known as yellow starbush, is a species of erect, woody, slender perennial shrub that is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It has leathery, egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base and yellow flowers arranged in umbels of five to ten with a fringe of scales on the back of the petals, and about ten stamens.
Rhadinothamnus euphemiae, is a slender, small, upright shrub with needle-shaped branchlets thickly covered with silvery scales and tubular greenish-purple tubular flowers throughout the year. It is endemic to the south coast of Western Australia.
Pomaderris obcordata, commonly known as wedge-leaved pomaderris, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rhamnaceae and is endemic to South Australia. It is a shrub with densely hairy branchlets, wedge-shaped, narrowly egg-shaped or heart-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and white to pink flowers.