Calothamnus chrysanthereus

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Calothamnus chrysanthereus
Calothamnus chrysanthereus (leaves, flowers).JPG
Calothamnus chrysanthereus growing on Red Bluff near Kalbarri
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Calothamnus
Species:
C. chrysanthereus
Binomial name
Calothamnus chrysanthereus

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. (In 2014 Craven, Edwards and Cowley proposed that the species be renamed Melaleuca chrysantherea.) [2]

Contents

Description

Calothamnus chrysanthereus is an erect, dense or spreading shrub which grows to a height of about 1.5 metres (5 ft) with corky bark on the older branches. Its leaves are crowded near the ends of the branches, needle-like, mostly 50–90 millimetres (2–4 in) long and 1.0–1.4 millimetres (0.04–0.06 in) wide, circular in cross section and tapering at the end to a sharp point. [3] [4]

The flowers are arranged in clusters or loose spikes of up to 10, mostly on the older leafless stems. The five petals are 3–5 millimetres (0.1–0.2 in) long and papery. The stamens are bright red and arranged in 5 claw-like bundles with 24 to 28 stamens per bundle. Flowering occurs from August to December and is followed by fruits which are woody capsules, 12–15 millimetres (0.5–0.6 in) long. [3] [5]

Calothamnus chrysanthereus growth habit Calothamnus chrysanthereus (habit).JPG
Calothamnus chrysanthereus growth habit
Calothamnus chrysanthereus fruiting capsule Calothamnus chrysanthereus (fruit).JPG
Calothamnus chrysanthereus fruiting capsule

Taxonomy and naming

Claw flower was first formally described in 1862 by Ferdinand von Mueller in Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae. [1] [4] In 1867, George Bentham made a complete description, giving the name Calothamnus chrysantherus. [5] In 2010, Alex George restored the name Calothamnus chrysanthereus . [6]

Distribution and habitat

This calothamnus is common in the heathlands north of Geraldton in the Geraldton Sandplains and Yalgoo biogeographic regions. [3] [7] It grows in sandy soil in a range of situations. [8]

Conservation

Calothamnus chrysanthereus is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian government Department of Parks and Wildlife. [7]

Related Research Articles

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

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<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.

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

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

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Calothamnus accedens, commonly known as Piawaning clawflower, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It was first formally described in 1984, declared extinct in 1992, rediscovered in 2004, removed from the "extinct" list in 2013 and found to have a population of at least 25,000 in 2015. It is a small erect shrub with crowded hairy leaves and red flowers. In 2014 Craven, Edwards and Cowley proposed that the species be renamed Melaleuca accedens.

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

Calothamnus brevifolius is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small, highly branched shrub with almost cylindrical, pointed leaves and red flowers in summer. In 2014 Craven, Edwards and Cowley proposed that the species be renamed Melaleuca hawkeswoodii.

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

Calothamnus aridus is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to central parts of Western Australia. It is an erect, densely branched shrub with many stems, needle-like leaves and orange-red to pinkish flowers, growing in arid areas with spinifex.

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.

Calothamnus formosus is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a large, spreading, densely foliaged shrub with almost cylindrical, pointed leaves and red flowers in spring or summer. There are two subspecies, differing mainly in the length of their leaves.

<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.

<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 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.

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

Calothamnus montanus is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with short, needle-shaped leaves and red flowers with four stamen bundles.

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

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.

Calothamnus phellosus is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a tall, spreading shrub with needle-shaped, prickly leaves and bright red flowers with five stamen bundles.

<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>Phymatocarpus porphyrocephalus</i> Species of flowering plant

Phymatocarpus porphyrocephalus is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It resembles many small species of Melaleuca, mainly differing in the way its anthers are attached at the top of the stamens. In Phymatocarpus they are attached at their base and open at the other end through two slits. It is a shrub with many small heads of pink to purple flowers fading to white, often covering the plant for several weeks in spring.

References

  1. 1 2 "Calothamnus chrysanthereus". APNI. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  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 3 Hawkeswood, Trevor J. "Studies in the genus Calothamnus (Myrtaceae: Leptospermoideae): Redescription of Calothamnus chrysantherus F. Muell., with notes on distribution, habitat and conservation and a list of collection records" (PDF). Trevor J. Hawkeswood. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  4. 1 2 von Mueller, Ferdinand (1862). Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae. Melbourne. pp. 112–113. Retrieved 31 July 2015.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. 1 2 Bentham, George; von Mueller, Ferdinand (1867). Flora Australiensis (Volume 3). London: Lovell, Reeve and Co. p. 176. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  6. George, Alex S. (2010). "alothamnus (Myrtaceae): precursor paper to Flora of Australia" (PDF). Nuytsia. 20: 188. doi:10.58828/nuy00588. S2CID   88190505 . Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  7. 1 2 "Calothamnus chrysanthereus ". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  8. Paczkowska, Grazyna; Chapman, Alex R. (2000). The Western Australian flora : a descriptive catalogue. Perth: Wildflower Society of Western Australia. p. 350. ISBN   0646402439.