Kunzea newbeyi

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Kunzea newbeyi
Kunzea newbeyi.jpg
Kunzea newbeyi in Monjebup Reserve
Status DECF P1.svg
Priority One — Poorly Known Taxa (DEC)
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Kunzea
Species:
K. newbeyi
Binomial name
Kunzea newbeyi

Kunzea newbeyi is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to a small area along the south coast of Western Australia. It is a robust shrub with small leaves and groups of about twenty to thirty pink flowers in October and November.

Contents

Description

Kunzea newbeyi is a robust shrub with several main stems and many side branches and which grows to a height of 0.6–2.3 m (2–8 ft). The leaves are glabrous, oblong to lance-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) long and about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide, not including the petiole which is a further 1–1.5 mm (0.04–0.06 in) long. The flowers are arranged in more or less spherical groups of 15 to 35, on the ends of branches which continue to grow after flowering. The flowers are surrounded by glabrous, egg-shaped bracts and bracteoles. The floral cup is about 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long and glabrous and the five sepals are egg-shaped to triangular and about 2 mm (0.08 in) long. The five petals are mid to deep pink, egg-shaped to almost round and 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long and there are about 40 to 50 stamens which are about twice as long as the petals. The style is 6.5–8 mm (0.26–0.31 in) long. Flowering occurs in October and November and is followed by fruit which are urn-shaped capsules with the sepals remaining as erect lobes. [1] [2]

Taxonomy and naming

Kunzea newbeyi was first formally described by Hellmut R. Toelken in 1996 in the article A revision of the genus Kunzea (Myrtaceae) in the Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Garden . [3] The specific epithet (newbeyi) honours Mr. K. Newbey who was the first to make a collection of this species. [1]

Distribution and habitat

This kunzea is often found on the dry lower slopes of breakaway areas in a small area along the southern coast in the Great Southern region. [1] [2]

Conservation

Kunzea newbeyi is only known from five populations but has recently been discovered in large numbers in the Monjebup Reserve. [4] It is classed as "Priority One" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife, [2] meaning that it is known from only one or a few locations which are potentially at risk. [5]

Related Research Articles

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<i>Kunzea jucunda</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Kunzea ciliata</i> Species of shrub

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<i>Kunzea clavata</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Kunzea micromera</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Kunzea rostrata</i> Species of flowering plant

Kunzea rostrata is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to an area along the south west coast of Western Australia. It is a shrub with small, mostly elliptic leaves and with groups of between mostly eleven and fifteen rose pink flowers mainly on the ends of branches that continue to grow after flowering.

<i>Kunzea similis</i> Species of flowering plant

Kunzea similis is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to a small area along the south coast of Western Australia. It is a shrub with linear to lance-shaped leaves with a single vein, and spherical groups of between four and ten pink flowers on the ends of shoots.

<i>Kunzea pauciflora</i> Species of flowering plant

Kunzea pauciflora, the Mount Melville kunzea, is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to a small area on the south coast of Western Australia. It is a shrub with the stems densely branched near their ends, linear leaves and one, two or three pink flowers near the ends of the branches but usually only at the top of the shrub.

Kunzea praestans is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with sessile leaves and groups of about fourteen to twenty pink flowers in more or less spherical groups on the end of the branches.

<i>Kunzea spathulata</i> Species of flowering plant

Kunzea spathulata is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to a small area in the south west of Western Australia. It is a tall shrub with erect, much-branched stems, linear leaves and more or less spherical groups of yellow or yellowish green flowers.

Kunzea aristulata is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to a small area of New South Wales. It is an erect, spreading shrub similar to Kunzea rupestris but is distinguished from it mainly by the shape of its leaves. It is only known from a remote area north of Yerranderie where it often grows on cliff edges.

Kunzea axillaris is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to a small area of New South Wales. It is an erect shrub or tree with linear leaves and white flowers which are arranged singly in leaf axils. It is only known from the ranges on the north coast.

<i>Kunzea obovata</i> Species of shrub

Kunzea obovata is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a spreading shrub with unusually-shaped leaves and clusters of pink to purple flowers. It is restricted to northern New South Wales and south-eastern Queensland.

Kunzea caduca is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to Queensland. It is a spreading shrub with linear to lance-shaped leaves and groups of white to cream-coloured flowers on the ends of all the branches from late winter to early spring. It is only known from a few locations and only conserved in the Castle Tower National Park near Gladstone.

Kunzea juniperoides is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to a small area of New South Wales. It is a small shrub with narrow leaves and small groups of white flowers near the end of the longer branches. It is distinguished from similar kunzeas by the large number of scale-like perules and bracts surrounding the groups of flowers.

<i>Kunzea occidentalis</i> Species of flowering plant

Kunzea occidentalis is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to a western New South Wales. It is a shrub with narrow leaves and small groups of white flowers on leafy side-branches. It is distinguished from the similar Kunzea ambigua by the flanges on the sides of its young branches.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Toelken, Hellmut R. (1996). "A Revision of the Genus Kunzea (Myrtaceae) I. The Western Australian SectionZeanuk". Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens. 17: 60–61.
  2. 1 2 3 "Kunzea newbeyi". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  3. "Kunzea newbeyi". APNI. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
  4. McAloon, Cameron. "Rare flowering plant Kunzea newbeyi found in WA's South West set to bloom". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  5. "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 20 February 2020.