Darwinia meeboldii

Last updated

Darwinia meeboldii
Darwinia meeboldii 01.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Darwinia
Species:
D. meeboldii
Binomial name
Darwinia meeboldii
Darwinia meeboldiiDistMap21.png
Occurrence data from AVH
Darwinia meeboldii KP gnangarra-10.jpg

Darwinia meeboldii, commonly known as Cranbrook bell, [2] is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. [3] It is an erect, spindly shrub with crowded leaves and clusters of pendent flowers surrounded by large bracts.

Contents

Description

Darwinia meeboldii is an erect, spindly shrub that typically grows to a height of 0.5–3 m (1 ft 8 in – 9 ft 10 in). It has erect, crowded leaves up to about 10 mm (0.39 in) long and 2 mm (0.079 in) wide. The flowers are small and pendent, arranged in groups of 8 surrounded by relatively large red, white and green bracts. Flowering occurs between August and November. [3] [4]

Taxonomy

Darwinia meeboldii was first formally described in 1943 by Charles Gardner in the Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia . [5] [6] The specific epithet (meeboldii) honours Alfred Meebold. [7]

Distribution and habitat

Cranbrook bell occurs on peaty soils on slopes in the western part of the Stirling Range National Park. [2] [3]

Conservation status

Darwinia meeboldii is listed as "vulnerable" under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and as "Threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, [3] meaning that it is in danger of extinction. [8] The main threats to the species include its restricted distribution, loss of canopy cover, weed invasion and grazing by rabbits. [2]

Use in horticulture

The species requires good drainage and protection from direct sun. [4] It is difficult to propagate from seed, but cuttings strike readily. [4] Grafting on stocks of Darwinia citriodora may be carried out in areas with unsuitable growing conditions including high humidity. [4]

Related Research Articles

<i>Darwinia</i> (plant) Genus of flowering plants

Darwinia, sometimes commonly known as mountain bells or simply bells, is a genus of about 70 species of evergreen shrubs in the family Myrtaceae, endemic to southeastern and southwestern Australia. The majority are native to southern Western Australia, but a few species occur in South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria. The genus was named in honour of Erasmus Darwin, grandfather of Charles Darwin by Edward Rudge in 1816. Most darwinias grow to a height of between 0.2 and 3 m, and many are prostrate shrubs. Most have small, simple leaves and the flowers are often grouped together, each flower with five red, white or greenish petals and ten stamens. In many species, the flowers are surrounded by large, colourful bracts, giving rise to their common names.

<i>Darwinia citriodora</i> Species of flowering plant

Darwinia citriodora, commonly known as lemon-scented darwinia or lemon scented myrtle, 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.

<i>Darwinia neildiana</i> Species of flowering plant

Darwinia neildiana, commonly known as fringed bell, is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a dwarf, spreading or semi-erect shrub that typically grows to a height of 0.2–1 m and has leaves about 10 mm (0.39 in) long. Its are flowers very small, arranged in clusters of up to 60, surrounded by green bracts that turn red as they age, the inflorescence 20–30 mm (0.79–1.18 in) wide. Flowering occurs between August and December. The species was first formally described by Victorian Government botanist Ferdinand von Mueller in 1875 in Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae. It grows among rocks in the Avon Wheatbelt, Geraldton Sandplains and Swan Coastal Plain biogeographic regions of south-western Western Australia.

<i>Darwinia leiostyla</i> Species of flowering plant

Darwinia leiostyla is an erect shrub in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It typically grows to a height of 0.3–1.5 m and has linear leaves up to about 10 mm (0.39 in) long crowded along the branches. Pendent, bell-shaped, flower-like inflorescences appear from May to January. These are clusters of small flowers surrounded by larger pink, red or white, petal-like bracts.

<i>Darwinia hypericifolia</i> Species of flowering plant

Darwinia hypericifolia is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, straggly shrub that typically grows to a height of 0.4–1 m and has clusters of flowers surrounded by red bracts, mainly in October and November.

<i>Darwinia squarrosa</i> Species of flowering plant

Darwinia squarrosa, commonly known as the fringed mountain bell or pink mountain bell, is a shrub that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia.

<i>Darwinia collina</i> Species of flowering plant

Darwinia collina, commonly known as the yellow mountain bell, is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae. It grows as an erect shrub 0.3–1.2 metres (1–4 ft) high with crowded elliptical leaves and bright yellow flower-like inflorescences. It is endemic to a few small areas in the Stirling Range National Park, Western Australia and as a result is classified as an endangered species.

<i>Darwinia oxylepis</i> Species of flowering plant

Darwinia oxylepis, commonly known as Gillham's bell, is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae. It grows as a dense, upright shrub 1.0–1.5 m (3.3–4.9 ft) high, and produces large numbers of red inflorescences prominently displayed on the ends of the branchlets in spring. It is one of a group of Darwinias including D. leiostyla, D. macrostegia, D. meeboldii, D. collina and D. squarrosa collectively known as mountain bells. The species is found in only a few seasonally moist gullies near the lower slopes of the Stirling Range National Park and nearby Porongurup National Park and is therefore classified as endangered.

<i>Darwinia carnea</i> Species of flowering plant

Darwinia carnea, commonly known as Mogumber bell or Narrogin bell, is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small shrub with narrow, keeled leaves and flowers in groups of about eight, surrounded by yellowish-green to pinkish-red bracteoles. It occurs in small, isolated populations near the towns which contribute to its common names. It is the only "bell-flowered" Darwinia to not grow in the Stirling Range National Park.

<i>Darwinia chapmaniana</i> Species of flowering plant

Darwinia chapmaniana, commonly known as Chapman's bell or Eganu bell, is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a low, rounded, spreading shrub with greyish, hairy leaves and flowers in heads of about 14 small, tubular flowers. The heads are surrounded by long, reddish-yellow, hairy bracts.

<i>Darwinia wittwerorum</i> Species of flowering plant

Darwinia wittwerorum, commonly known as Wittwer's darwinia, is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to a small area in Western Australia. An erect, spindly shrub with fine leaves and hanging groups of flowers surrounded by leaf-like bracts, it is one of the darwinias known as mountain bells.

<i>Darwinia acerosa</i> Species of flowering plant

Darwinia acerosa, commonly known as the fine-leaved darwinia, is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to a small area in south-west of Western Australia. It is a densely branched, heath-like shrub with crowded, finely pointed leaves and drooping heads of forty to fifty yellowish-green flowers.

<i>Darwinia ferricola</i> Species of flowering plant

Darwinia ferricola, commonly known as the Scott River darwinia, is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to a small area in Western Australia. It is a rounded, densely branched shrub with crowded, linear leaves mostly only on younger branches. The flowers are greenish-yellow and red, and arranged in groups on the ends of the branches, with a long white or reddish style protruding from the petal tube.

<i>Darwinia helichrysoides</i> Species of flowering plant

Darwinia helichrysoides is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to a small area in south-west of Western Australia. It is a slender shrub with linear leaves and drooping heads of about 4 red and green flowers surrounded by many glabrous bracts.

<i>Darwinia masonii</i> Species of flowering plant

Darwinia masonii, commonly known as Mason's darwinia is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to Western Australia.

Darwinia nubigena, commonly known as success bell or red mountain bell, is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with egg-shaped leaves arranged in opposite pairs, and groups of 4 or 5 pendent red flowers surrounded by larger green and red bracts.

Darwinia terricola, commonly known as the Blackwood bell, is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to a small area in the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small, low, sometimes prostrate shrub with small, linear leaves and small groups of flowers surrounded by reddish-green bracts and which usually lie on the ground.

<i>Darwinia whicherensis</i> Species of flowering plant

Darwinia whicherensis, commonly known as the Abba bell, is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small shrub with linear leaves and bell-shaped, flower-like inflorescences containing more than twenty flowers surrounded by bracts, the largest of which are red with green edges.

Pimelea drummondii is a species of flowering plant in the family Thymelaeaceae and is endemic to near-coastal areas of southern Western Australia. It is an erect, slender shrub with narrowly elliptic or elliptic leaves arranged in opposite pairs, and white or cream-coloured flowers surrounded by 3 or 4 pairs of pale green to yellowish involucral bracts.

<i>Cryptandra connata</i> Species of flowering plant

Cryptandra connata is a species of flowering plant in the family Rhamnaceae and is endemic to inland Western Australia. It is an erect, prickly shrub with linear to lance-shaped leaves and clusters of white, pink or purple, tube-shaped flowers.

References

  1. "Darwinia meeboldii". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 "Approved Conservation Advice for Darwinia meeboldii (Cranbrook Bell)" (PDF). Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. 2008. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Darwinia meeboldii". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Darwinia meeboldii". Australian Native Plants Society (Australia). Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  5. "Darwinia meeboldii". APNI. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  6. Gardner, Charles A. (1943). "Contributiones Florae Australiae Occidentalis, XI". Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia. 27: 189–190. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  7. Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 250. ISBN   9780958034180.
  8. "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 1 November 2022.