Diocirea acutifolia

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Diocirea acutifolia
Status DECF P3.svg
Priority Three — Poorly Known Taxa (DEC)
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Genus: Diocirea
Species:
D. acutifolia
Binomial name
Diocirea acutifolia

Diocirea acutifolia is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to a small area near Norseman in Western Australia. The branches and leaves produce sticky resin which sometimes covers the whole plant making it appear bluish grey. This species is distinguished from the three others in the genus by its leaves which are longer than 6 millimetres (0.2 in) and the prominent resin glands on its stems.

Contents

Description

Diocirea acutifolia is a shrub with many stems which sometimes grows to a height of 0.6 metres (2 ft) and spreads to a width of 0.8 metres (3 ft). Its branches are covered with raised light brown glands which produce a white resin. The leaves are arranged in a spiral around the stems and are mostly 6.6–9.5 millimetres (0.3–0.4 in) long, 1–1.5 millimetres (0.04–0.06 in) wide, linear in shape and often blue-green in colour due to dried resin on their surfaces. [2]

The flowers are borne singly in leaf axils and lack a stalk. There are 5 egg-shaped, pointed green sepals and 5 petals. The petals are white or pale violet joined to form a tube 2–3 millimetres (0.08–0.1 in) long with lobes which are also 2–3 millimetres (0.08–0.1 in) long and often spotted with purple, extending into the tube. The tube is mostly glabrous except for a few hairs on the bottom lobe and inside the tube. There are 4 stamens which extend slightly beyond the petal tube. The fruit that follows flowering is oval-shaped, surrounded by a hairy shell and is about 2 by 3 millimetres (0.08 in × 0.1 in). [2]

Taxonomy and naming

Diocirea acutifolia was first formally described by taxonomist Bob Chinnock in Eremophila and allied genera: a monograph of the plant family Myoporaceae in 2007 [1] [2] from a specimen collected near Kambalda, about 45 kilometres (30 mi) north of the Lake Cowan Causeway. The specific epithet (acutifolia) is derived from "Latin acutifolia, acute-leaved". [2]

Distribution and habitat

Diocirea acutifolia occurs in a small area north of Norseman in the Coolgardie biogeographic region where it grows in woodland on gravelly loam. [2] [3] [4]

Conservation

Diocirea acutifolia has been classified as "Priority Three" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife [3] meaning that it is poorly known and known from only a few locations but is not under imminent threat. [5]

Related Research Articles

Diocirea is a genus of flowering plants in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae. The genus is endemic to a small area in the south-west of Western Australia and is intermediate in character between Eremophila and Myoporum. There are four members of the genus, all of which are small shrubs with stems and leaves which produce a resin making the plants appear bluish-green. Neither the genus, nor any of the species had been described before 2007 although a few specimens had been collected as Eremophila elachantha. Despite their limited distribution, they often occur in populations of several thousand individual plants, forming a dense ground cover.

<i>Myoporum velutinum</i>

Myoporum velutinum is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to a small area near Esperance in Western Australia. It has similar flowers and fruits and grows in similar environments to Myoporum tetrandrum but differs from it and all other members of the genus by having hairs on the outer edge of the petals.

Glycocystis beckeri is the only species of the flowering plant genus Glycocystis in the family Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to the south west of Western Australia. It is a shrub, similar to others in the genera Eremophila and Myoporum but is unusual in that it produces very large amounts of sticky, sweet-smelling resin produced by raised glands which cover the entire plant, except for the petals. It has been suggested that the resin traps insects which the plant uses as a source of nitrogen.

<i>Diocirea microphylla</i> Species of flowering plant

Diocirea microphylla is a plant in the figwort family (Scrophulariaceae), and is endemic to a small area near Coolgardie in Western Australia. It is a low shrub with thin branches and minute leaves pressed against the stems. It is readily distinguished from the other three species in the genus by its tiny leaves.

Diocirea ternata is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to a small area near Balladonia in Western Australia. It is a low shrub with a restricted distribution but which often occurs in large numbers, forming a dense ground cover. It is readily distinguished from the other three species in the genus by its unusual leaf arrangement.

Diocirea violacea is a plant in the figwort family (Scrophulariaceae), and is endemic to a small area near Salmon Gums in Western Australia. It is a low shrub with a restricted distribution but which often occurs in large numbers, forming a dense ground cover. It can be distinguished from the three others in its genus by a combination of the size and arrangement of its leaves and the appearance of its fruits.

Eremophila appressa, commonly known as wispy poverty bush, is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to two remote locations in the central west of Western Australia. Its most unusual feature is its leaves which, at least when young, are less than 2.5 mm (0.1 in) long and 1 mm (0.04 in) wide and are glued to the stem by resin.

Eremophila coacta is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to a small area in the north west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with narrow, sticky, pointed leaves and densely hairy light to dark lilac-coloured flowers.

Eremophila cryptothrix is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It is a shrub with sticky stems due to the presence of resin, narrow leaves, coloured sepals and white, pale pink or pale blue flowers.

<i>Eremophila galeata</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila galeata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a shrub with sticky, shiny leaves, unusual sepals, a dull pink and brown, spotted petal tube and which grows in stony red soils.

<i>Eremophila labrosa</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila labrosa is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a shrub with many hairy branches arising from near ground level, narrow, hooked leaves and mauve and blue flowers.

Eremophila lucida, commonly known as shining poverty bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with sticky, shiny leaves and branches and with flowers that are either red with darker red blotches inside or cream-coloured without spots or blotches.

<i>Eremophila mirabilis</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila mirabilis is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a shrub with narrow leaves, brightly coloured sepals and petals growing in two widely separated areas.

Eremophila papillata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect, compact shrub with sticky, narrow leaves and mauve, blue or purple, rarely white flowers.

<i>Eremophila parvifolia</i> Species of plant

Eremophila parvifolia is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a shrub which has small, usually egg-shaped leaves and blackish flower buds which open to purple flowers which are white with purple spots inside. There are two subspecies, both of which are found in Western Australia and one which is also found in South Australia.

Eremophila pendulina is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a tall, spindly, weeping shrub with narrow leaves and purple, mauve or white flowers in autumn and early spring.

Eremophila petrophila is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a tall, erect, open shrub with rough branches, narrow, sticky leaves and pale lilac-coloured flowers.

<i>Eremophila purpurascens</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila purpurascens, commonly known as purple eremophila, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect, bushy shrub with warty leaves and spotted, pink to red flowers.

Eremophila succinea is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect, broom-shaped shrub with sticky, narrow, hooked leaves, narrow, sticky sepals and hairy, pale purple or mauve petals.

<i>Eremophila veneta</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila veneta, commonly known as metallic-flowered eremophila is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a low, spreading, sticky shrub with dark green leaves and bluish-green petals.

References

  1. 1 2 "Diocirea acutifolia Chinnock". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Chinnock, R.J. (Bob) (2007). Eremophila and allied genera : a monograph of the plant family Myoporaceae (1st ed.). Dural, NSW: Rosenberg. pp. 172–174. ISBN   9781877058165.
  3. 1 2 "Diocirea acutifolia Chinnock". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  4. Paczkowska, Grazyna; Chapman, Alex R. (2000). The Western Australian flora : a descriptive catalogue. Perth: Wildflower Society of Western Australia. p. 332. ISBN   0646402439.
  5. "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 11 July 2019.