Howittia | |
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Howittia trilocularis | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Malvales |
Family: | Malvaceae |
Subfamily: | Malvoideae |
Genus: | Howittia F.Muell. [1] |
Species: | H. trilocularis |
Binomial name | |
Howittia trilocularis F.Muell. [2] | |
Howittia is a genus of plant containing the single species, Howittia trilocularis, commonly known as blue howittia, [3] and is endemic to Australia. It is a tall shrub found growing in shaded valleys and on rainforest edges, it has hairy leaves and single, purple flowers.
Howittia trilocularis is a spreading shrub up to 3 m (9.8 ft) high with oval to oblong-oval shaped leaves, 2.5–12 cm (0.98–4.72 in) long and 1.5–8 cm (0.59–3.15 in) wide, margins smooth, scalloped or slightly lobed. The under surface pale, white, yellow or brownish, irregularly covered with rusty or whitish star-shaped hairs, upper surface dark green. The whitish, lavender or deep mauve flowers are borne singly in the leaf axils, on a peduncle 3–4 cm (1.2–1.6 in) long and densely covered with long, matted hairs. The flowers have five petals, 1–2.5 cm (0.39–0.98 in) long on a pedicels 1.5–5 cm (0.59–1.97 in) long and yellow stamens. The calyx lobes are sharply pointed, 6–10 mm (0.24–0.39 in) long, rusty coloured with soft, star-shaped hairs. The seed capsule is rounded or indented globular shaped, 5–10 mm (0.20–0.39 in) in diameter and covered with soft, silky or star-shaped hairs. Flowering occurs from September to January. [3] [4]
Howittia trilocularis was first formally described in 1855 by Ferdinand von Mueller and the description was published in Definitions of rare or hitherto undescribed Australian plants from the type specimen which was found growing on "bushy declivities around Lake King". [5] [6] The genus was named after Godfrey Howitt, a Melbourne physician, in recognition of his work as an amateur botanist. The specific epithet (trilocularis) means "having three locules. [3] [7]
It is found growing in sheltered gullies, rainforest margins and eucalypt forests in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. [3] [8]
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Spyridium parvifolium, commonly known dusty miller, is a flowering plant in the family Rhamnaceae. It has dark green leaves and clusters of small, whitish flowers at the end of branches. It is widespread in eastern states of Australia.
Pterocaulon sphacelatum, commonly known as apple bush or fruit-salad plant, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is an upright shrub with mostly pink to purple flowers and is endemic to Australia.
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Lasiopetalum schulzenii, commonly known as drooping velvet-bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae and is endemic to southern continental Australia. It is a shrub with heart-shaped leaves and small groups of hairy white and reddish-brown flowers.
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Podolobium procumbens, commonly known as trailing shaggy-pea, trailing podolobium or trailing oxylobium, is a flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a trailing small shrub with oval-shaped leaves and orange pea-like flowers.
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Thomasia petalocalyx, commonly known as paper flower, is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae and is endemic to southern Australia. It is a shrub with wrinkled, oblong to egg-shaped leaves and cup-shaped mauve flowers.
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Pultenaea benthamii, commonly known as Bentham's bush-pea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It is an erect shrub with sharply-pointed, narrow elliptic to linear leaves and yellow to orange and red flowers in clusters at the ends of branches.
Pultenaea canaliculata, commonly known as coast bush-pea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to coastal areas of southern continental Australia. It is an rigid, spreading shrub with hairy, cylindrical leaves, and yellow and crimson flowers.
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