Beaufortia empetrifolia

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South coast beaufortia
Beaufortia empetrifolia.jpg
Foliage and flowers of Beaufortia empetrifolia
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Beaufortia
Species:
B. empetrifolia
Binomial name
Beaufortia empetrifolia
Synonyms [1]
  • Beaufortia elegans var. minor Benth.
  • Beaufortia micrantha var. empetrifolia(Rchb.) Benth.
  • Beaufortia microphylla Turcz.
  • Melaleuca empetrifoliaRchb.

Beaufortia empetrifolia, commonly known as south coast beaufortia, [2] is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is a highly branched shrub with small, crowded leaves and pinkish to purple flowers in small, bottlebrush-like spikes in the warmer months. It is similar to Beaufortia micrantha except that its leaves are slightly larger.

Contents

Description

Beaufortia empetrifolia is a compact, much branched shrub which grows to a height of 2 m (7 ft). The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs (decussate) so they make four rows along the stems. The leaves are egg-shaped, 1.5–3 mm (0.06–0.1 in) long and 0.5–2 mm (0.02–0.08 in) wide. [2] [3] [4] [5]

The flowers are pink to purplish red and are arranged in heads about 20 mm (0.8 in) in diameter, on the ends of branches which continue to grow after flowering. The flowers have 5 sepals, 5 petals and 5 bundles of stamens with usually three to five stamens each. The stamens bundles are hairy and joined for 1.5–5 mm (0.06–0.2 in) of their length with the free parts a further 2.5–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long. Flowering can occur in almost any month, depending on the weather and is followed by fruits which are woody capsules. The capsules are 6.5–11.5 mm (0.3–0.5 in) long and 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) wide and often joined together. [2] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

Melaleuca empetrifolia was first formally described in 1828 by the German botanist, Ludwig Reichenbach in Iconographia Botanica Exotica. [6] In 1843, Johannes Schauer recognised it as Beaufortia empetrifolia. [7] Lyndley Craven proposes combining Beaufortia and several other related genera with Melaleuca , [8] in which case, Reichenbach's original name would be restored.

Distribution and habitat

Beaufortia empetrifolia mainly occurs in and between the Albany and Esperance districts in the Esperance Plains, Hampton, Jarrah Forest and Mallee bioregions of south-western Western Australia. [3] It usually grows in sand, often near granite outcrops. [9]

Conservation

Beaufortia empetrifolia is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. [3]

Related Research Articles

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

Beaufortia is a genus of woody shrubs and small trees in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to Southwest Australia. The genus Beaufortia is closely related to Melaleuca, Calothamnus, Regelia and several others, differing mainly in the way the anthers are attached to the stalks of the stamens, and in the way they open to release their pollen. Beaufortia anthers are attached at one end and open by splitting at the other.

<i>Beaufortia sparsa</i> Species of flowering plant

Beaufortia sparsa, commonly known as swamp bottlebrush, is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is an erect or spreading shrub with round, dished leaves crowded on the younger stems, and bright red flower spikes in the warmer months.

<i>Melaleuca brophyi</i> Species of flowering plant

Melaleuca brophyi is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small to medium-sized shrub with small, fleshy leaves and clusters of fruit that resemble soccer balls.

<i>Melaleuca eurystoma</i> Species of shrub

Melaleuca eurystoma is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is a small shrub with pale lemon to greenish flowers and egg-shaped to almost oval leaves.

Melaleuca eximia is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is distinguished by its leaf arrangement, its large, showy red inflorescences and the large, furry bracts under the flowers.

<i>Melaleuca hnatiukii</i> Species of shrub

Melaleuca hnatiukii is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is a medium to large shrub with arching branches, prickly tipped leaves and creamy-white heads of flowers in spring or early summer.

<i>Melaleuca coccinea</i> Species of shrub

Melaleuca coccinea, commonly known as the goldfields bottlebrush is a shrub in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic the south of Western Australia. It is distinguished by its unusual foliage and bottlebrush spikes of red flowers.

<i>Melaleuca lateriflora</i> Species of flowering plant

Melaleuca lateriflora, commonly known as gorada, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is usually an erect shrub with oval leaves and small clusters of white flowers mainly along the older branches.

<i>Melaleuca scabra</i> Species of flowering plant

Melaleuca scabra, commonly known as rough honey-myrtle, is a species of shrub that is endemic to a small area on the south coast of Western Australia. It has warty leaves and profuse, pink to purple heads of flowers between July and November.

Melaleuca calcicola is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It was formerly known as a subspecies of Melaleuca apodocephala but was reassessed in 2010 and raised to species status. Its branches are corky, the leaves pointed although not prickly and the flowers are creamy white, tipped with yellow.

<i>Melaleuca glauca</i> Species of flowering plant

Melaleuca glauca, commonly known as Albany bottlebrush is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a tall shrub with glaucous leaves and spikes of red flowers in spring.

Calothamnus lehmannii, commonly known as dwarf claw flower, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a low-lying, sometimes ground-hugging shrub with long, thin, cylindrical leaves and clusters of red flowers that are smaller than any others in the genus Calothamnus.

<i>Calothamnus preissii</i> Species of flowering plant

Calothamnus preissii is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a low-lying, sometimes ground-hugging shrub with needle-like leaves and reddish-purple flowers in spring.

<i>Beaufortia decussata</i> Species of flowering plant

Beaufortia decussata, commonly known as gravel bottlebrush, is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It has long stems branching only near the upper ends, and scarlet to orange-red flowers in a bottlebrush shape beneath the branches.

<i>Beaufortia cyrtodonta</i> Species of flowering plant

Beaufortia cyrtodonta, commonly known as Stirling Range bottlebrush, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is a compact shrub with crowded leaves which appear greyish due to their covering of fine, soft hairs. It has heads of red flowers in spring and occurs in the Stirling Range district.

Beaufortia eriocephala, commonly known as woolly bottlebrush or woolly beaufortia, is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It differs from other beaufortias in having woolly red flowers and hairy younger leaves, with mature leaves that are less than 1 mm (0.04 in) wide.

<i>Beaufortia micrantha</i> Species of flowering plant

Beaufortia micrantha, commonly known as small-leaved beaufortia or little bottlebrush, is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is a compact shrub with tiny leaves pressed against the stems and profuse heads of purple or pinkish-coloured flowers.

<i>Beaufortia orbifolia</i> Species of flowering plant


Beaufortia orbifolia, commonly known as Ravensthorpe bottlebrush, is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is an erect or spreading shrub with round, dished leaves crowded on the younger stems, and bright red flower spikes. It is found in laterite hills near Ravensthorpe. It is distinguished from other beaufortias by having green stamen bundles with the free ends red.

<i>Beaufortia purpurea</i> Species of flowering plant


Beaufortia purpurea, commonly known as purple beaufortia, is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is an erect or spreading shrub with linear to egg-shaped leaves and purplish-red flowers in dense heads on the ends of branches which continue to grow after flowering.

<i>Beaufortia schaueri</i> Species of flowering plant

Beaufortia schaueri, commonly known as pink bottlebrush or pink beaufortia, is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is a small, rounded shrub with small, crowded, linear leaves and profuse, spherical heads of pink flowers conspicuously displayed on the ends of the branches in spring.

References

  1. 1 2 "Beaufortia empetrifolia". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 Burbidge, Andrew A. (2016). "A taxonomic revision of Beaufortia (Myrtaceae: Melaleuceae)" (PDF). Nuytsia. 27: 182–184.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Beaufortia empetrifolia". FloraBase. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  4. Archer, William. "Beaufortia micrantha var. micrantha – Small Bottlebrush". Esperance Wildflowers. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  5. Bentham, George; von Mueller, Ferdinand (1866). Flora Australiensis (Volume III). London: Lovell Reeve and Co. p. 167. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  6. "Melaleuca empetrifolia". APNI. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  7. "Beaufortia empetrifolia". APNI. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  8. Craven, Lyn A.; Edwards, Robert D.; Cowley, Kirsten J. (30 June 2014). "New combinations and names in Melaleuca (Myrtaceae)". Taxon. 63 (3): 663–670. doi: 10.12705/633.38 .
  9. Paczkowska, Grazyna; Chapman, Alex R. (2000). The Western Australian flora : a descriptive catalogue. Perth: Wildflower Society of Western Australia. p. 349. ISBN   0646402439.