Leionema ambiens

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Leionema ambiens
Leionema ambiens.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Rutaceae
Genus: Leionema
Species:
L. ambiens
Binomial name
Leionema ambiens
Synonyms
  • Eriostemon ambiens F.Muell.
  • Phebalium ambiens(F.Muell.) Maiden & Betche [2]

Leionema ambiens is a rare shrub growing in the Guyra district of New South Wales and Queensland, Australia. It has long stem clasping leaves and heads of white flowers in spring and early summer.

Contents

Description

Leionema ambiens is a small shrub to 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) high with smooth, mostly needle-shaped stems. The flat leaves may be elliptic, egg-shaped or a wide oblong, 6–10 cm (2.4–3.9 in) long and 25–40 cm (9.8–15.7 in) wide, apex either pointed or rounded, stem-clasping, obvious midrib and margins slightly toothed. The inflorescence is a terminal cluster of 20–200 white flowers, petals about 4.5 mm (0.18 in) long on an angled pedicel. The seed pod is more or less upright, about 3 mm (0.12 in) long with a small beak. Flowering occurs from spring to early summer. [3]

Taxonomy and naming

The species was first formally described in 1868 by Ferdinand von Mueller who gave it the name Eriostemon ambiens and the description was published in Fragmenta Phytogrphiae Australiae. [4] [5] In 1998 Paul G. Wilson changed the name to Leionema ambiens and the description was published in the journal Nuytsia . [6] [7] The specific epithet (ambiens) is derived from Latin meaning "going around" or "surround". [8]

Distribution and habitat

This species has a restricted distribution, only found in the Guyra district of northern New South Wales growing in heath amongst granite boulders. It also grows in Queensland. [3]

Related Research Articles

<i>Leionema</i> Genus of shrubs

Leionema is a genus of more than 20 species of mostly small shrubs in the family Rutaceae, most of which are endemic to eastern Australia. Plants within this genus have scented foliage and clustered, star-shaped flowers which range in colour from cream to bright yellow. Prior to 1998, all species within this genus were included in the genus Phebalium.

<i>Phebalium nottii</i> Species of shrub

Phebalium nottii, commonly known as pink phebalium, is a species of shrub that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has branchlets with silvery scales, oblong to elliptical leaves, deep pink to mauve flowers arranged in umbels of up to six, with the stamens distinctively offset to one side of the flower.

<i>Phaleria clerodendron</i> Species of plant in the family Thymelaeaceae endemic to Queensland

Phaleria clerodendron, commonly known as scented daphne, scented phaleria or rosy apple, is an evergreen tree or tall shrub in the family Thymelaeaceae. It is endemic to the rainforests of north-eastern Queensland, Australia.

<i>Leionema elatius</i> Species of flowering plant

Leionema elatius, commonly known as tall phebalium, is a shrub species that is endemic to New South Wales and Queensland in Australia. It has glossy green, variably-shaped leaves and clusters of white-lemon flowers in spring.

<i>Leionema coxii</i> Species of shrub

Leionema coxii is a shrub species that is endemic to southern New South Wales, Australia. It has an upright habit, dark green, narrow leaves and clusters of white flowers in spring.

<i>Leionema phylicifolium</i> Species of shrub

Leionema phylicifolium, commonly known as alpine phebalium, is a shrub that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a small shrub with green, smooth, leathery leaves and pale yellow flowers in spring.

<i>Prostanthera prostantheroides</i> Species of shrub

Prostanthera prostantheroides is a plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a shrub with heart-shaped to round leaves and usually white flowers with purple spots inside the petal tube.

<i>Halfordia</i> Genus of trees

Halfordia is a genus of plants in the family Rutaceae containing the single species Halfordia kendack commonly known as kerosenewood, southern ghittoe or saffronheart, is a rainforest plant that is native to eastern Australia, New Guinea and New Caledonia. It is a shrub or tree with elliptical to egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, panicles of white, greenish white or yellowish flowers and purple to bluish black, spherical to oval fruit.

<i>Leionema dentatum</i> Species of shrub


Leionema dentatum, commonly known as toothed phebalium is a species of large shrub or small tree that is endemic to New South Wales, Australia. It has variable leaves, slender branches and clusters of cream-yellow flowers in spring.

<i>Philotheca brucei</i> Species of shrub

Philotheca brucei is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a shrub with cylindrical leaves grooved along the top and in spring, white to pink or mauve flowers with five egg-shaped petals.

<i>Leionema ellipticum</i> Species of shrub

Leionema ellipticum is a shrub species that is endemic to Queensland in Australia. It is a small shrub with smooth green leaves and creamy-white flowers in spring.

<i>Leionema gracile</i> Species of shrub

Leionema gracile, commonly known as Mt Greville phebalium, is a shrub species that is endemic to Queensland, Australia. It is a small shrub with spreading leaves, white petals and flowers from autumn to spring.

Leionema lachnaeoides, is a tall shrub with aromatic leaves and yellow flowers from winter to late spring. It is restricted to the Blue Mountains in New South Wales.

<i>Leionema obtusifolium</i> Species of shrub

Leionema obtusifolium, is a small shrub with yellow-white flowers in terminal clusters at the end of branches. It is endemic to Queensland.

Leionema oldfieldii is a small shrub that is endemic to mountainous locations in Tasmania, Australia. It has dark green leaves, compact pale pink to white flowers from November to January.

<i>Leionema ralstonii</i> Species of shrub

Leionema ralstonii, is a small shrub with angular, smooth branchlets and pale green flowers in winter. It is restricted to the south coast of New South Wales.

<i>Leionema rotundifolium</i> Species of shrub

Leionema rotundifolium, is a dense shrub with needle-shaped stems and pale lemon to white terminal flowers. It is found in New South Wales and Queensland.

<i>Leionema viridiflorum</i> Species of shrub

Leionema viridiflorum commonly known as green phebalium, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae. It is a small shrub with pale yellow-greenish flowers in clusters at the end of branches from winter to early spring. It has a restricted distribution in northern New South Wales.

<i>Philotheca deserti</i> Species of plant

Philotheca deserti is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to inland Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with narrow spindle-shaped, glandular-warty leaves and white flowers arranged singly in leaf axils.

<i>Dicrastylis lewellinii</i> Species of flowering plant

Dicrastylis lewellinii is a species of plant within the genus, Dicrastylis, in the family Lamiaceae. It is found in Western Australia, the Northern Territory, New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia.

References

  1. "Leionema ambiens". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  2. "Leionema ambiens". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government, Canberra. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  3. 1 2 Weston, P.J; Harden, G.J. "Leionema ambiens". PlantNET-Online Flora of NSW. Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  4. Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae. Biodiversity Heritage Library. Vol. 6. 1867. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  5. "Eriostemon ambiens". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  6. Wilson, Paul G. (1998). "New species and nomenclatural changes in Phebalium and related genera (Rutaceae)". 12 (2): 271. Retrieved 18 April 2020.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. "Leionema ambiens". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  8. William T. Stearn (1992). Botanical Latin. History, grammar, syntax, terminology and vocabulary (4th ed.). Portland, Oregon: Timber Press. p. 367.