Beaufortia micrantha

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Small-leaved beaufortia
Beaufortia micrantha (leaves, flowers).JPG
Beaufortia micrantha leaves and flowers
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Beaufortia
Species:
B. micrantha
Binomial name
Beaufortia micrantha
Synonyms [1]
  • Melaleuca micrantha(Schauer) Craven & R.D.Edwards
  • Melaleuca micrantha(Schauer) Craven & R.D.Edwards var. micrantha
  • Regelia adpressa Turcz.
Leaves and fruits Beaufortia micrantha (leaves, fruits).JPG
Leaves and fruits
Beaufortia micrantha Beaufortia micrantha var. micrantha - Flickr - Kevin Thiele.jpg
Beaufortia micrantha

Beaufortia micrantha, commonly known as small-leaved beaufortia [2] or little bottlebrush, [3] 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.

Contents

Description

Beaufortia micrantha is a small, compact shrub which grows to a height of about 0.5 metres (2 ft). The leaves are triangular in shape with the end tapering to a point, 1–2 millimetres (0.04–0.08 in) long and have their upper surfaces pressed against the stems, sometimes overlapping each other. The leaves of Beaufortia empetrifolia are similar in size and shape but are not pressed against the stems to the same extent. [2] [3] [4]

The flowers are usually pinkish-red to purple and are arranged in heads about 10 millimetres (0.4 in) in diameter, 15 millimetres (0.6 in) long on the ends of branches which continue to grow after flowering. The flowers have 5 sepals, 5 petals and 5 bundles of stamens. The stamen bundles have 3 to 5 stamens each, are 6–10 millimetres (0.2–0.4 in) long with the free parts a further 5–10 millimetres (0.2–0.4 in) long. Flowering occurs in most months but mainly from September to November and is followed by fruits which are woody capsules 25–35 millimetres (0.98–1.4 in) long, 6–10 millimetres (0.2–0.4 in) wide and closely packed together. [2] [3] [4] [5]

Taxonomy and naming

Beaufortia micrantha was first formally described in 1843 by Johannes Conrad Schauer in Dissertatio phytographica de Regelia, Beaufortia et Calothamno. [6] The specific epithet (micrantha) is derived from the Ancient Greek μικρός (mikrós) meaning "small" [7] :488 and ἄνθος (ánthos) meaning "flower". [7] :338

Distribution and habitat

Beaufortia micrantha mainly occurs in and between the Esperance, Albany, Corrigin and Southern Cross districts in the Avon Wheatbelt, Coolgardie, Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest and Mallee bioregions of south-western Western Australia. [3] It usually grows in sandy soils derived from laterite on plains and ridges. [8]

Conservation

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

Calothamnus quadrifidus, commonly known as one-sided bottlebrush, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. The common name alludes to the arrangement of the flowers in the inflorescence which line up on one side of the stem. It is a shrub with grey-green, pine-like foliage covered with soft hairs and red, four-part flowers in spring. Widely cultivated because of its attractive foliage, colourful, unusual and prolific flowers, it grows in a variety of habitats and soils. In 2010, Alex George published a review of the species based on recent research and described a number of new subspecies.

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

Calothamnus villosus, commonly known as woolly net-bush or silky net-bush, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a tall shrub, often forming thickets. It has thin, cylindrical leaves and blood red flowers for many months of the year. It is superficially similar to Calothamnus quadrifidus but can be distinguished from that species by its flowers which have five stamen claws compared to the four of C. quadrifidus.

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 tuberosus</i> Species of flowering plant

Calothamnus tuberosus is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a stiff, prickly plant with cylindrical leaves and red flowers, growing near or often on granite boulders. It has a lignotuber and tuberous roots.

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

Beaufortia aestiva, commonly known as Kalbarri beaufortia, or summer flame, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is a dense, usually rounded shrub with small leaves and which bears yellow or red flowers in bottlebrush-like spikes near the ends of the branches in summer. It is similar to Beaufortia squarrosa but that is a smaller shrub which always has red flowers.

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

Beaufortia anisandra, commonly known as dark beaufortia, is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is a densely branched shrub with egg-shaped, upward pointing leaves and which bears heads of dark bluish-purple to red flowers with stamen bundles of different lengths. It is reported to have an unpleasant odour.

<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.

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

Beaufortia elegans, commonly known as elegant 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, diffuse shrub with crowded, curved leaves and heads of flowers that are usually reddish purple, although other colours also occur.

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

Beaufortia empetrifolia, commonly known as south coast beaufortia, 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.

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 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.

<i>Beaufortia squarrosa</i> Species of plant

Beaufortia squarrosa, commonly known as sand bottlebrush, is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. The Noongar peoples know the plant as buno. It is sometimes a dense shrub, others straggling with 4 neat rows of small, oval leaves along the stems, and heads of red, orange or yellow flowers in the warmer months.

<i>Regelia cymbifolia</i> Species of shrub

Regelia cymbifolia is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a much branched shrub bearing tiny, wedge shaped leaves and clusters of deep pink to purple flowers on the ends of its branches in spring.

<i>Regelia inops</i> Species of flowering plant

Regelia inops is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an upright but often spreading shrub with tiny wedge shaped leaves and small heads of pink flowers on the ends of its branches in the warmer months.

Beaufortia raggedensis, commonly known as Mount Ragged beaufortia, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is a compact shrub with densely clustered leaves and large heads of deep red flowers in spring and only occurs near Mount Arid in the Cape Arid National Park.

References

  1. 1 2 "Beaufortia micrantha". 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: 189–190.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Beaufortia micrantha". FloraBase. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  4. 1 2 Archer, William. "Beaufortia micrantha var. micrantha – Small Bottlebrush". Esperance Wildflowers. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  5. Corrick, Margaret G.; Fuhrer, Bruce A. (2009). Wildflowers of Southern Western Australia (3rd ed.). Kenthurst, N.S.W.: Rosenberg Pub. p. 113. ISBN   9781877058844.
  6. "Beaufortia micrantha". APNI. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  7. 1 2 Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
  8. Paczkowska, Grazyna; Chapman, Alex R. (2000). The Western Australian flora: a descriptive catalogue . Perth: Wildflower Society of Western Australia. p. 349. ISBN   0646402439.