Lemon-scented darwinia | |
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Darwinia citriodora foliage and flowers | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Myrtales |
Family: | Myrtaceae |
Genus: | Darwinia |
Species: | D. citriodora |
Binomial name | |
Darwinia citriodora | |
Occurrence data from AVH | |
Synonyms [1] | |
Darwinia citriodora, commonly known as lemon-scented darwinia or lemon scented myrtle, [2] is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with oblong to lance-shaped leaves and red, yellow and orange flowers over an extended period. It is a hardy plant in well-drained soil, is often cultivated and used as a rootstock for less hardy species.
Darwinia citriodora is a compact shrub which grows to a height and width of 1–1.5 metres (3–5 ft). The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs along the stems, 6–12 millimetres (0.2–0.5 in) long, lance-shaped to oval with a blunt tip and with their edges rolled under. They are usually a rich green colour but often turn purplish during winter. The leaves have obvious oil glands on their lower surface and have a pleasant lemon scent when crushed. The flowers are arranged in groups of four near the ends of the branches, each group surrounded by reddish-green, leaf-like bracts. Individual flowers are small, tube-shaped and yellow with the petals enclosing the stamens. The style is about 10 millimetres (0.4 in) long, red to yellow and extends beyond the flower, with its brush-like tip curving towards the centre of the group of flowers. Flowering occurs between May and December. [3] [4]
This species was first formally described in 1837 by Stefan Endlicher who gave it the name Genetyllis citriodora. The description was published in Enumeratio plantarum quas in Novae Hollandiæ ora austro-occidentali ad fluvium Cygnorum et in sinu Regis Georgii collegit Carolus Liber Baro de Hügel . [5] [6] In 1865, George Bentham changed the name to Darwinia citriodora and published the change in Journal of the Linnean Society, Botany . [1] The specific epithet (citriodora) is derived from the Latin words citrea meaning "lemon" [7] :206 and odora meaning "smell" or "scent". [7] :720
Lemon-scented darwinia occurs in near-coastal areas between the Swan River and Cape Riche in the Esperance Plain, Jarrah Forest, Swan Coastal Plain and Warren biogeographic regions where in grows in lateritic or granitic soils. [8] [9]
Darwinia citriodora has been available in nurseries for many years and a variety with larger than normal flowers has been produced. [4] It is easily propagated from cuttings which are best obtained at the end of summer or early autumn. [3] It is valuable as a rootstock for other species, especially those from the genera Verticordia , Chamelaucium and Actinodium as well as for other species of Darwinia. [10] [11]
Darwinia citriodora is listed as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. [8]
Hibbertia stellaris, commonly known as star guinea flower or orange stars, is a brilliantly orange flowering ground cover from the South Western Australian botanical province. It naturally grows in swamps; despite this, it is extremely sensitive to phytophthora and needs to be grown in well-drained soil in cultivation.
Chorilaena quercifolia, commonly known as karri oak or chorilaena, is a species of bushy shrub that is endemic to the karri forests of south-west Western Australia. It is the sole species in the genus Chorilaena. It has papery, broadly egg-shaped leaves with lobed edges and variously-coloured flowers arranged in umbels of five, the sepals and petals hairy on the outside and the stamens protruding beyond the petals.
Verticordia insignis is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an open, irregularly-branched shrub with small leaves and heads of relatively large pink, or white and pink flowers on the ends of the branches in spring.
Verticordia huegelii, commonly known as variegated featherflower, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a sometimes an erect shrub, sometimes sprawling to almost prostrate. It has linear leaves and very feathery flowers in spring. The flowers are usually cream-coloured or white, becoming pinkish and reddish or maroon as the flowers age, giving a variegated appearance to the display.
Verticordia pennigera, commonly known as native tea, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is usually a small erect or prostrate shrub with small leaves and lightly-scented spikes of pale pink to magenta-coloured flowers in spring.
Eremophila deserti is a shrub which is endemic to Australia. Common names for this species include turkey bush, dogwood, poison bushEllangowan poison bush, pencil bush and carrot bush. It is common and widespread in all mainland states, although not the Northern Territory. Some forms are poisonous to stock.
Enumeratio plantarum quas in Novae Hollandiæ ora austro-occidentali ad fluvium Cygnorum et in sinu Regis Georgii collegit Carolus Liber Baro de Hügel is a description of the plants collected at the Swan River colony and King George Sound in Western Australia. The author, Stephan Endlicher, used a collection arranged by Charles von Hügel to compile the first flora for the new settlements. Hugel visited the region during 1833–1834, several years after the founding of the colony. The work provided formal descriptions, in Latin, of new species and genera of plants. The single instalment was produced in Europe by Endlicher in 1837, the work also included contributions by Eduard Fenzl, George Bentham, Heinrich Wilhelm Schott.
Myoporum caprarioides, commonly known as slender myoporum, is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae. It is a shrub with wart-like tubercles covering its branches and leaves, especially on the upper surface and white flowers spotted with mauve, or all blue-mauve, present for most of the warmer months.
Acacia huegelii is a shrub belonging to the genus Acacia and the subgenus Phyllodineae native to Western Australia.
Verticordia huegelii var. huegelii, commonly known as variegated featherflower, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an upright, slender or bushy shrub, with creamish-white flowers turning pink or reddish maroon as they age, giving the plant a variegated appearance. It is similar to Verticordia huegelii var. decumbens but is more upright than that variety and lacks a lignotuber.
Verticordia huegelii var. decumbens, commonly known as variegated featherflower, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an almost prostrate shrub, with creamish-lemon coloured flowers turning pink then red as they age, giving the plant a variegated appearance. It is similar to Verticordia huegelii var. huegelii but has a lignotuber and a lower growth habit.
Verticordia huegelii var. tridens, commonly known as variegated featherflower, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a slender, open, sometimes straggly shrub with bright yellow flowers which age to red and then brown and differently-shaped staminodes from the other varieties of the species.
Boronia cymosa, commonly known as granite boronia, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with linear, more or less cylindrical leaves and groups of relatively small, pink four-petalled flowers arranged on branched flowering stems.
Boronia rubiginosa is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to New South Wales in Australia. It is a shrub with pinnate leaves that are paler on the lower surface, and up to three pale to bright pink, four-petalled flowers in the leaf axils.
Actinotus leucocephalus is a small plant in the Apiaceae family, endemic to Western Australia.
Philotheca brevifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to a small area in south-western New South Wales. It is a spreading shrub with fleshy, sessile, cylindrical leaves and white to pink flowers arranged singly or in small groups on the ends of branchlets.
Hemiandra linearis, commonly known as speckled snakebush, is a species of prostrate to ascending shrub that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia.
Podolepis aristata is a herb in the Asteraceae family, which is found in Western Australia, and all mainland states and territories of Australia.
Comesperma integerrimum is a twining shrub or climber in the family Polygalaceae.
Goodenia fasciculata is a species of flowering plant in the family Goodeniaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It an ascending shrub with bunched, narrow linear stem leaves and spikes of white flowers.