Kunzea petrophila

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Kunzea petrophila
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Kunzea
Species:
K. petrophila
Binomial name
Kunzea petrophila

Kunzea petrophila is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the Northern Territory. It is a spreading shrub with hairy branches and leaves, narrow leaves and cream-coloured flowers in more or less spherical groups, usually on the ends of the main branches.

Contents

Description

Kunzea petrophila is a spreading shrub which usually grows to a height of 2 m (7 ft) with its young branches and leaves covered with often woolly hairs. The leaves are arranged alternately, linear to narrow lance-shaped, 6–9.5 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long about 1 mm (0.04 in) wide without a petiole. The flowers are arranged in groups of between ten and eighteen near the ends of the main branches, or in smaller groups on short side shoots. The flowers are sessile with bracts and bracteoles at the base of the flowers. The floral cup is hairy, about 3 mm (0.1 in) long when flowering with the sepal lobes 1–1.5 mm (0.04–0.06 in) long and pointed. The petals are cream-coloured, broadly egg-shaped to almost round and 1–1.5 mm (0.04–0.06 in) long. There are 40–46 stamens which are 0.5–1.5 mm (0.02–0.06 in) long. Flowering has been observed in May, August and November. [2] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

Kunzea petrophila was first formally described in 2016 by Hellmut R. Toelken and the description was published in Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Garden . [2] [4] The specific epithet (petrophila) is derived from the Ancient Greek πέτρα (pétra) meaning "rock" or "stone" [5] :601 and φίλος (phílos) meaning "dear" or "beloved" [5] :498 referring to this species often growing on sandstone cliffs. [2]

Distribution and habitat

This kunzea grows in sand in sheltered sandstone crevices along the Keep River in the Keep River National Parkin the Northern Territory. [2] [3]

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

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

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

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

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<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.

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

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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 calida is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to Queensland, Australia. It is a spreading shrub which has linear to lance-shaped leaves but which are rolled, making them appear cylindrical. The flowers are pinkish-purple and arranged in groups near the ends of the branches in September. It is only known in remote and rugged areas of the Mount Stewart Ranges near Homestead.

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

Kunzea cambagei, commonly known as the Cambage kunzea 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 egg-shaped leaves and clusters of cream-coloured to yellowish flowers near the end of the branches. It is only known from areas near Mount Werong in the Kanangra-Boyd National Park and Berrima.

Kunzea dactylota is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to a small area of New South Wales. It is a spreading shrub with small, finger-shaped leaves and clusters of white flowers near the end of the branches. It grows at high altitudes on the Southern Tablelands of the state.

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

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

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<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.

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

Kunzea opposita is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a spindly shrub which has small leaves arranged in opposite pairs, and pink flowers with five petals and many stamens, the stamens much longer than the petals. It usually grows in woodland or on exposed cliffs.

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References

  1. "Kunzea petrophila". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Toelken, Hellmut R. (2016). "Revision of Kunzea (Myrtaceae). 2. Subgenera Angasomyrtus and Salisia (section Salisia) from Western Australia and subgenera Kunzea and Niviferae (sections Platyphyllae and Pallidiorae) from eastern Australia" (PDF). Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Garden. 29: 132–135. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  3. 1 2 "Kunzea petrophila". Northern Territory Government. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  4. "Kunzea petrophila". APNI. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  5. 1 2 Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.