Calothamnus quadrifidus subsp. obtusus

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Calothamnus quadrifidus subsp. obtusus
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Calothamnus
Species:
Subspecies:
C. q. subsp. obtusus
Trinomial name
Calothamnus quadrifidus subsp. obtusus
(Benth.) A.S.George & N.Gibson
Synonyms

Melaleuca quadrifida subsp. obtusa(Benth.) Craven & R.D.Edwards

Contents

Calothamnus quadrifidus subsp. obtusus is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is similar to other subspecies of Calothamnus quadrifidus except that its leaves are linear and somewhat rough and scaly and the stamen bundles are relatively short.

Description

Calothamnus quadrifidus subsp. obtusus is an erect or straggly shrub which sometimes grows to a height of 3 metres (10 ft) and has a lignotuber. Its leaves are flat and linear with the outer part slightly expanded, 10–35 millimetres (0.4–1 in) long and 1–4 millimetres (0.04–0.2 in) wide. [1]

The flowers are red and arranged in clusters, usually on one side of the stem amongst the older leaves. The stamens are arranged in 4 claw-like bundles, each about 18–25 millimetres (0.7–1 in) long. Flowering mainly occurs from August to October and is followed by fruits which are woody, roughly spherical capsules, 6–10 millimetres (0.2–0.4 in) long. [1] (The subspecies petraeus and seminudus have similar leaves to obtusus but their stamen bundles are longer.)

Taxonomy and naming

Calothamnus quadrifidus subsp. obtusus was first formally described in 2010 by Alex George in Nuytsia. [2] It had originally been described in 1867 by George Bentham as a form of Calothamnus quadrifidus (Calothamnus quadrifidus f. obtusus) from a specimen collected on the Murchison River by Augustus Oldfield. [1] [3] The epithet obtusus is a Latin word meaning "blunt" or "dull". [4]

Distribution and habitat

Calothamnus quadrifidus subsp. obtusus is found between Shark Bay, Kalbarri and Mullewa [1] in the Carnarvon, Geraldton Sandplains and Yalgoo biogeographic regions. [5] It usually grows in sand in kwongan. [1]

Conservation

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

Related Research Articles

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

Calothamnus graniticus, commonly known as granite claw flower, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. There are two subspecies, both of which have been classified as "near threatened". It is an erect, rounded shrub with pine-like, dark, grey-green foliage and usually bright red flowers. Calothamnus graniticus subsp. graniticus occurs in the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park and is the floral emblem of the nearby city of Busselton.

<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 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.

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 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.

<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.

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.

Calothamnus quadrifidus subsp. angustifolia is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is similar to other subspecies of Calothamnus quadrifidus except that it has longer leaves than most although in some areas there are plants that are intermediate with Calothamnus quadrifolius subsp. obtusus. The leaves are flat, narrow and prickly.

<i>Calothamnus quadrifidus <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> asper</i> Subspecies of flowering plant

Calothamnus quadrifidus subsp. asper is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is similar to other subspecies of Calothamnus quadrifidus except that its leaves are short, flat and obviously rough and scaly when mature.

<i>Calothamnus quadrifidus <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> homalophyllus</i> Subspecies of flowering plant

Calothamnus quadrifidus subsp. homalophyllus is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is similar to other subspecies of Calothamnus quadrifidus except that its leaves are longer and wider.

Calothamnus quadrifidus subsp. petraeus is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is similar to other subspecies of Calothamnus quadrifidus except that its leaves are linear and somewhat rough and scaly and the stamen bundles are relatively long.

Calothamnus quadrifidus subsp. quadrifidus is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is similar to other subspecies of Calothamnus quadrifidus except that its leaves are circular in cross section and the leaves and flower cup usually have a sparse covering of long, soft hairs.

Calothamnus quadrifidus subsp. seminudus is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is similar to other subspecies of Calothamnus quadrifidus except that its leaves are linear and somewhat rough and scaly and the stamen bundles are relatively long.

Calothamnus quadrifidus subsp. teretifolius is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is similar to other subspecies of Calothamnus quadrifidus except that its leaves are glabrous and cylindrical.

Calothamnus roseus is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with needle-shaped, prickly leaves and pink flowers with four stamen bundles.

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

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.

<i>Eremaea violacea</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremaea violacea is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is low, spreading shrub with narrow, prickly leaves and which bears violet-coloured flowers on short side branches.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 George, Alex S.; Gibson, Neil (2010). "A revision of Calothamnus quadrifidus (Myrtaceae)" (PDF). Nuytsia. 20: 70. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  2. "Calothamnus quadrifidus subsp. obtusus". APNI. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  3. "Calothamnus quadrifidus f. obtusus". APNI. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  4. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 567.
  5. 1 2 "Calothamnus quadrifidus subsp. obtusus". FloraBase. Retrieved 3 August 2015.