Kunzea rostrata

Last updated

Kunzea rostrata
Kunzea rostrata.jpg
Flowers and foliage of Kunzea rostrata
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Kunzea
Species:
K. rostrata
Binomial name
Kunzea rostrata
habit in Yelverton National Park Kunzea rostrata habit.jpg
habit in Yelverton National Park

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.

Contents

Description

Kunzea rostrata is a shrub with many branches and that typically grows to a height of 1.6–3 m (5 ft 3 in–9 ft 10 in). It has elliptic to egg-shaped leaves 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) long and about 2 mm (0.079 in) wide on a petiole 0.2–0.5 mm (0.0079–0.0197 in) long. It has more or less spherical groups of flowers on the ends of branches that continue to grow after flowering. There are usually between eleven and fifteen rose pink flowers in the groups. There are egg-shaped bracts 2–2.5 mm (0.079–0.098 in) long and about 2 mm (0.079 in) wide at the base of the flowers and well as pairs of similar bracteoles. The floral cup is 3.5–4 mm (0.14–0.16 in) long at flowering times. The sepals are triangular to lance-shaped, 2–2.5 mm (0.079–0.098 in) and glabrous and the petals are egg-shaped and about 3 mm (0.12 in) long. There are between 25 and 38 stamens 4–55 mm (0.16–2.17 in) long in several whorls. Flowering occurs in October and November and the fruit is an urn-shaped capsule. [2] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

Kunzea rostrata was first formally described in 1996 by Hellmut R. Toelken and the description was published in Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Garden . [2] [4] The specific epithet (rostrata) is a word Latin meaning "beaked", [5] referring to the point on the tip of the sepals. [2]

Distribution and habitat

This kunzea is only known from the area between Cape Naturaliste peninsula and Cowaramup Bay near Gracetown, often found growing in grey sands or peaty soils along the coast. [2] [3]

Related Research Articles

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

Kunzea salina is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is a low, spreading, densely branched shrub with leaves mostly arranged in opposite pairs and usually two sessile pale pink to white flowers arranged at the base of new shoots. It only grows near the edge of certain salt lakes.

Kunzea glabrescens, commonly known as spearwood, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a large shrub with leaves and flowers similar to those of K. ericifolia but has differently shaped bracteoles. It is often common in wet areas around Perth.

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

Kunzea parvifolia, commonly known as the violet kunzea, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a wiry shrub with small, narrow leaves and clusters of pink to purple flowers in spring.

Kunzea acuminata is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia where it has a restricted distribution. It is a shrub with a few spindly branches, silky leaves and spherical groups of pink flowers on the ends of the branches.

Kunzea affinis is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with many branches, small, crowded leaves and pink, five-petalled flowers in early spring.

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

Kunzea ciliata is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a spreading shrub which typically grows to a height of 0.8 to 1.5 metres and blooms between October and November producing pink flowers.

Kunzea cincinnata is a 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 which typically grows to a height of 0.6 to 1 metre and blooms between September and October producing pink to red-purple flowers.

Kunzea eriocalyx is a 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 spreading main stems with a few short side branches and which grows to a height of 0.5 to 1 metre. It blooms between August and October producing pink flowers.

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

Kunzea micromera is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south west of Western Australia. It is a small, sparse shrub, similar in some respects to K. micrantha but has shorter, more rounded sepal lobes. It produces groups of pink flowers on the ends of a few long shoots in spring.

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

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.

<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.

<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

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

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 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.

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.

References

  1. "Kunzea rostrata". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Toelken, Hellmut R. (1996). "A revision of the genus Kunzea"" (Myrtaceae) 1. The Western Australian section Zeanuk". Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens. 17: 62–6x.
  3. 1 2 "Kunzea rostrata". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  4. "Kunzea rostrata". APNI. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  5. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 561.