Calothamnus villosus

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Calothamnus villosus
Myrtaceae - Calothamnus villosus.JPG
Calothamnus villosus at Villa Durazzo-Pallavicini
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. villosus
Binomial name
Calothamnus villosus
Synonyms [1]

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 .

Contents

Description

Calothamnus villosus is an evergreen shrub sometimes growing to a height of 2 metres (7 ft). The leaves are arranged alternately, linear and needle-like. [2] [3] [4]

The flowers are blood red and arranged in bottlebrush-like clusters about 30 millimetres (1 in) long on one side of the stem that was the new growth of the previous year. They have 5 sepals that are densely hairy on their outer surface. There are also 5 petals and 5 claw-like bundles of stamens which are at least 30 millimetres (1 in) long. Flowering occurs from March to December and is followed by fruits which are smooth, woody, approximately spherical capsules with two prominently thickened lobes at the top. [2] [3] [4]

Foliage of Calothamnus villosus 0 9 20140412pallavicini-110.JPG
Foliage of Calothamnus villosus

Taxonomy and naming

Calothamnus villosus was first formally described in 1812 by Robert Brown in William Aiton's Hortus Kewensis. [5] [6] The specific epithet (villosus) is a Latin word meaning "hairy". [7]

Distribution and habitat

Calothamnus villosus occurs from Albany to Esperance [2] in the Esperance Plains and Mallee biogeographic regions. [4] It is most common in the Cape Le Grand National Park and in the Mount Burdett Nature Reserve. [3] It usually grows in thickets on sand, gravel or over granite. [4]

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</i> Genus of flowering plants

Calothamnus is a genus of shrubs in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. The common names one-sided bottlebrush or claw flower are given to some species due to their having the flowers clustered on one side of the stem or because of the claw-like appearance of their flowers. Calothamnus species are generally medium to tall woody shrubs with crowded leaves. In most species the leaves are crowded and linear in shape, and the flowers are usually arranged in dense clusters. The petals are small and fall off the flower soon after it opens but the stamens are long, numerous and usually bright red.

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

Melaleuca pulchella, commonly known as claw flower and claw honey-myrtle, is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is one of only two species of Melaleuca to have two kinds of stamens. The outer stamens are longer and curved, giving the appearance of a claw to the flower. It is a hardy shrub flowering over a long period, and has been a popular garden plant for many years.

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

Melaleuca calycina is a shrub in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a stiff, erect shrub with oval to heart-shaped leaves, white flowers and star-shaped fruit.

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

Melaleuca densa is a shrub in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a bushy shrub with profuse cream, yellow or greenish flowers and overlapping leaves on the youngest shoots.

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

Melaleuca globifera is a shrub in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a bushy, small tree with papery bark and spherical heads of flowers on the ends of the 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 fulgens subsp. fulgens, commonly known as the scarlet honey myrtle, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. In 1990, the species Melaleuca fulgens was separated into 3 subspecies and this is the most widespread of them. As with the other two subspecies, this one is notable for its showy flowers which are usually red but its foliage and fruits are also attractive features.

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.

<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 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.

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.

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.

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

Calothamnus validus, commonly known as Barrens clawflower, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an upright or rounded shrub with stiff, cylindrical but not sharply pointed leaves and red, 4-part flowers. The common name derives from the location, West Mount Barren, where it was found by Spencer Moore, the author of its formal description. It is commonly cultivated and has sometimes escaped from gardens in Western Australia.

<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.

References

  1. 1 2 "Calothamnus villosus". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 Hawkeswood, Trevor J. (1984). "Nine new species of Calothamnus Labill. (Myrtaceae: Leptospermoideae) from Western Australia" (PDF). Nuytsia. 5 (1): 124–125. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 Archer, William. "Calothamnus villosus". Esperance Wildflowers. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Calothamnus villosus". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  5. "Calothamnus villosus". APNI. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  6. Aiton, William; Brown, Robert (1812). Hortus Kewensis (Volume 4) (2nd ed.). London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme and Brown. p. 418. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  7. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 392.