Calothamnus blepharospermus

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Calothamnus blepharospermus
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Calothamnus
Species:
C. blepharospermus
Binomial name
Calothamnus blepharospermus
Synonyms [1]
  • Calothamnus blepharospermaF.Muell. orth. var.
  • Calothamnus blepharospermusF.Muell. var. blepharospermus
  • Melaleuca blepharosperma(F.Muell.) Craven & R.D.Edwards

Calothamnus blepharospermus is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the west coast of Western Australia. It is an upright, spreading, bushy shrub with red flowers in summer. It grows in sandy soil in scrubby country called kwongan. (In 2014 Craven, Edwards and Cowley proposed that the species be renamed Melaleuca blepharosperma.) [2]

Contents

Description

Calothamnus blepharospermus is a shrub growing to a height of 2–3 metres (7–10 ft) with leaves 38–76 millimetres (1.5–3.0 in) in length and 5–7 millimetres (0.2–0.3 in) wide, very narrow egg-shaped with the narrow end towards the base, the other end tapering to a sharp point. [3] [4]

The flowers are red with the stamens arranged in five bundles, each 30–40 millimetres (1–2 in) long, the outer surface of the petals, the flower stalk and the hypanthium all densely hairy. Flowering occurs in January to February or in July and is followed by fruits which are woody capsules about 25 millimetres (1 in) long. [3] [4] [5]

Taxonomy and naming

Calothamnus blepharospermus was first formally described in 1862 by Ferdinand von Mueller from a specimen found "in desert near the Murchison River by Oldfield". [6] The specific epithet blepharospermus is derived from the Greek words blepharon meaning "eyelid" [7] :151 and sperma, spermatos meaning "seed". [7] :694

Distribution and habitat

Calothamnus blepharospermus occurs in the Geraldton Sandplains, Yalgoo biogeographic regions [5] where it grows in sand or sandy clay on plains and sand dunes. [8]

Conservation status

Calothamnus blepharospermus is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife. [5]

Related Research Articles

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

Calothamnus chrysanthereus , commonly known as claw flower is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with needle-shaped leaves crowded on the ends of the branches and bright red flowers in spring.

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

Calothamnus gilesii is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, usually compact shrub with fine, pine-like foliage and which produces cluster of red flowers from June to January.

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

Calothamnus pinifolius, commonly known as dense clawflower, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with dense foliage and clusters of red flowers, partly immersed in the prickly foliage, between July and January.

Calothamnus borealis is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small, erect shrub with crowded, cylindrical leaves and red flowers. It grows in sand surrounded by spinifex or heath. In 2014 Craven, Edwards and Cowley proposed that the species be renamed Melaleuca aquilonia.

Calothamnus cupularis is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a similar shrub to Calothamnus formosus but has larger flowers and fruit.

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

Calothamnus gibbosus, commonly known as corky net-bush, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. Its distinguishing characteristic is its corky bark in which the hypanthium of the flowers and much of the fruits is buried. Only the petals and stamens emerge from the bark.

Calothamnus glaber is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to near-coastal areas in the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub, similar to Calothamnus blepharospermus but its leaves are slightly longer and narrower and the parts of its flowers are glabrous.

Calothamnus gracilis is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a spreading shrub with upright foliage, common in heath within its range. It has long, thin leaves and produces dark red flowers at different times of the year, depending partly on rainfall. It is similar to Calothamnus gibbosus but lacks the corky bark on the older branches of that species and its flowers and fruit are not as deeply embedded in the bark.

Calothamnus huegelii is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub growing to a height of about 2 metres (6.6 ft) with red flowers in autumn or September.

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 longissimus</i> Species of flowering plant

Calothamnus longissimus is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small, spreading shrub with unusually long, fine leaves and which produces clusters of red flowers in spring.

Calothamnus macrocarpus is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with bright red flowers in spring and large, almost spherical fruit. It has a limited distribution near Hopetoun.

Calothamnus microcarpus is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, either compact or spreading shrub with flat leaves and clusters of red flowers in spring.

Calothamnus oldfieldii is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small, spreading shrub with needle-shaped leaves and clusters of red flowers with 5 petals and 5 stamen bundles.

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

Calothamnus pachystachyus is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, much-branched shrub with thick bark, flat leaves and clusters of red flowers in spring.

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

Calothamnus planifolius is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with many branches, growing to a height of about 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) with flat leaves and red flowers from September to November. The flowers have 4 petals and 4 narrow bundles of stamens.

<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.

Calothamnus schaueri is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small, spreading, sometimes prostrate shrub, growing to a height of about 0.6 metres (2 ft) with cylindrical leaves 100–200 millimetres (4–8 in) long. It has brownish red flowers from August to December. The flowers have 4 petals and 4 narrow bundles of stamens.

Calothamnus superbus is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, often spreading, straggly shrub similar to Calothamnus aridus with its red flowers having 5 stamen bundles, but its leaves are longer and wider. It has a limited distribution near Pigeon Rocks south of Lake Barlee.

<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.

References

  1. 1 2 "Calothamnus blepharospermus". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  2. Craven, Lyn A.; Edwards, Robert D.; Cowley, Kirsten J. (30 June 2014). "New combinations and names in Melaleuca (Myrtaceae)". Taxon. 63 (3): 665. doi:10.12705/633.38.
  3. 1 2 Corrick, Margaret G.; Fuhrer, Bruce A. (2009). Wildflowers of southern Western Australia (3rd ed.). Kenthurst, N.S.W.: Rosenberg Publishing P/L. p. 114. ISBN   9781877058844 . Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  4. 1 2 von Mueller, Ferdinand (1862). Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae (Vol. 3, No. 21). v.3 1862-63. Melbourne: Auctoritate Gubern. Coloniæ Victoriæ, Ex Officina Joannis Ferres. p. 111. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 "Calothamnus blepharospermus". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  6. "Calothamnus blepharospermus". APNI. Retrieved 23 July 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. 350. ISBN   978-0646402437.