Leucopogon obovatus

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Leucopogon obovatus
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Ericaceae
Genus: Leucopogon
Species:
L. obovatus
Binomial name
Leucopogon obovatus
Leucopogon obovatusDistA125.png
Occurrence data from AVH
Synonyms [1]
  • Styphelia obovataLabill.
  • Styphelia obovataLabill. var. obovata

Leucopogon obovatus is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with hairy young branchlets, variably-shaped, simple leaves, and erect clusters of 3 to 15 white, bell-shaped flowers on the ends of branches and in upper leaf axils.

Contents

Description

Leucopogon obovatus is an erect, robust shrub that typically grows up to about 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) high and 2 m (6 ft 7 in) wide with many stems at its base, its young branchlets mainly covered with straight or slightly curved hairs. The leaves are spirally arranged, variably shaped from egg-shaped to narrowly egg-shaped, narrowly elliptic or linear, 6–23 mm (0.24–0.91 in) long and 0.6–4.5 mm (0.024–0.177 in) wide on a greenish-yellow to pale brown petiole 0.2–0.6 mm (0.0079–0.0236 in) long. The upper surface of the leaves is shiny, the lower surface a paler shade of green. The flowers are arranged in groups of 3 to 15 on the ends of branchlets and in upper leaf axils, with egg-shaped to narrowly egg-shaped bracts 0.5–1.3 mm (0.020–0.051 in) long, and egg-shaped bracteoles 1.0–2.1 mm (0.039–0.083 in) long. The sepals are egg-shaped or broadly egg-shaped, 1.7–3.0 mm (0.067–0.118 in) long, and the petals white and joined at the base to form a bell-shaped tube 1.0–2.0 mm (0.039–0.079 in) long, the lobes 2.2–3.5 mm (0.087–0.138 in) long, widely spreading and densely bearded inside. Flowering mainly occurs from July to October and the fruit is a broadly oval to more or less spherical drupe 1.9–2.3 mm (0.075–0.091 in) long. [2]

Taxonomy and naming

This species was first formally described in 1805 by Jacques Labillardière who gave it the name Styphelia obovata in his Novae Hollandiae Plantarum Specimen . [3] [4] In 1810, Robert Brown changed the name to Leucopogon obovatus in his Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae . [5] The specific epithet (obovatus) means "inverted egg-shaped", referring to the leaves. [6]

In 2011, Michael Hislop described two subspecies of L. obovatus in the journal Nuytsia [2] and the names are accepted by the Australian Plant Census:

Distribution and habitat

Subspecies obovatus grows in heath or low woodland in near-coastal areas between West Cape Howe and Israelite Bay [2] [9] and subsp. revolutus is found in winter-wet heath, woodland and forest from near Margaret River to near Albany and north to near Manjimup in the Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest and Warren bioregions of south-western Western Australia. [2] [10]

Conservation status

Both subspecies of Leucopogon obovatus are listed as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. [9] [10]

Ecology

This leucopogon attracts a parrot, Platycercus icterotis icterotis , commonly known as moyadong, that eats the fruit. [11]

Related Research Articles

<i>Leucopogon</i> Genus of flowering plants

Leucopogon is a genus of about 150-160 species of shrubs or small trees in the family Ericaceae, in the section of that family formerly treated as the separate family Epacridaceae. They are native to Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, the western Pacific Islands and Malaysia, with the greatest species diversity in southeastern Australia. Plants in this genus have leaves with a few more or less parallel veins, and tube-shaped flowers usually with a white beard inside.

<i>Leucopogon juniperinus</i> Species of shrub

Leucopogon juniperinus, commonly known as prickly beard-heath, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It is an erect, densely-branched shrub with oblong to more or less egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and white, tube-shaped flowers arranged singly in upper leaf axils.

<i>Leucopogon rubricaulis</i> Species of shrub

Leucopogon rubricaulis is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is an erect, open shrub with narrowly egg-shaped or narrowly elliptic leaves and white, tube-shaped flowers arranged on the ends of branches and in upper leaf axils in groups of four to thirteen.

<i>Leucopogon esquamatus</i> Species of flowering plant

Leucopogon esquamatus, commonly known as the swamp beard-heath, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a slender shrub with mainly elliptic leaves, and short-lived white, tube-shaped flowers arranged singly or in pairs in upper leaf axils.

<i>Leucopogon acuminatus</i> Species of plant

Leucopogon acuminatus is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to the Northern Territory. It is a compact, erect shrub with narrowly elliptic or lance-shaped leaves and small groups of white or cream-coloured flowers.

<i>Leucopogon alternifolius</i> Species of plant

Leucopogon alternifolius is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to south of Western Australia. It is a low, sprawling shrub with thin branchlets, egg-shaped leaves with a heart-shaped, stem-clasping base, and white or pale pink flowers arranged in up to twenty groups along the flowering branchlets.

<i>Leucopogon australis</i> Species of plant

Leucopogon australis, commonly known as spiked beard-heath, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to southern Australia. It is an erect, aromatic shrub with narrowly egg-shaped to narrowly elliptic leaves, and white flowers arranged in spikes near the ends of branchlets.

<i>Leucopogon bossiaea</i> Species of plant

Leucopogon bossiaea is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to a restricted area in the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with elliptic to broadly egg-shaped leaves and white flowers in four to eleven upper leaf axils.

<i>Leucopogon collinus</i> Species of plant

Leucopogon collinus, commonly known as fringed beard-heath, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a slender, erect or spreading shrub with narrowly lance-shaped leaves, and white, tube-shaped, bearded flowers.

<i>Leucopogon cuspidatus</i> Species of shrub

Leucopogon cuspidatus is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae and is endemic to the central Queensland coast. It is a shrub with densely hairy young branchlets, egg-shaped to lance-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and white, bell-shaped flowers that are bearded inside.

<i>Leucopogon darlingensis</i> Species of plant

Leucopogon darlingensis is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with hairy young branchlets, spirally arranged, linear, oblong, narrowly elliptic or narrowly egg-shaped leaves and white, bell-shaped flowers arranged in upper leaf axils and at the ends of branches.

<i>Leucopogon interstans</i> Species of plant

Leucopogon interstans is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with brownish hairs on its young branchlets, erect, narrowly elliptic or narrowly egg-shaped leaves and white or pinkish flowers in groups in upper leaf axils or on the ends of branches.

<i>Leucopogon maritimus</i> Species of plant

Leucopogon maritimus is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to the west coast of Western Australia. It is a low, spreading shrub with hairy young branchlets, erect, narrowly elliptic leaves and erect white, tube-shaped flowers in upper leaf axils or on the ends of branches.

<i>Leucopogon microcarpus</i> Species of plant

Leucopogon microcarpus is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is a low, compact shrub with hairy young branchlets, narrowly elliptic, narrowly egg-shaped or linear leaves and erect, compact clusters of 3 to 9 white, tube-shaped flowers in upper leaf axils or on the ends of branches.

<i>Leucopogon navicularis</i> Species of plant

Leucopogon navicularis is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is an erect, compact shrub with hairy young branchlets, narrowly elliptic to narrowly egg-shaped leaves and erect, compact clusters of 4 to 12 white, bell-shaped flowers in upper leaf axils or on the ends of branches.

<i>Leucopogon nitidus</i> Species of plant

Leucopogon nitidus is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to a small area in Western Australia. It is an erect, open shrub with hairy young branchlets, linear or very narrowly elliptic leaves and erect, compact clusters of 3 to 8 white flowers on the ends of branches and in upper leaf axils.

<i>Leucopogon squarrosus</i> Species of plant

Leucopogon squarrosus is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with hairy young branchlets, egg-shaped or elliptic leaves and dense, erect clusters of 5 to 14 white flowers on the ends of branches and in upper leaf axils.

<i>Leucopogon stenophyllus</i> Species of plant

Leucopogon stenophyllus is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, open shrub with a single stem at ground level, linear, narrowly egg-shaped or narrowly elliptic leaves and erect clusters of 3 to 17 white flowers on the ends of branches and short side-branches.

<i>Leucopogon stokesii</i> Species of plant

Leucopogon stokesii is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to a small area in the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, open shrub with hairy young branchlets, narrowly elliptic leaves and erect, dense clusters of 5 to 10 bell-shaped white flowers on the ends of branches.

<i>Leucopogon virgatus</i> Species of plant

Leucopogon virgatus, commonly known as common beard-heath, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is an erect to low-lying shrub with linear to narrowly lance-shaped or egg-shaped leaves, and erect clusters of three to seven white, tube-shaped flowers on the ends of branches and in upper leaf axils.

References

  1. 1 2 "Leucopogon obovatus". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Hislop, Michael (2011). "A reinstatement and a new combination in Leucopogon (Ericaceae: Styphelioideae: Styphelieae)". Nuytsia. 21 (4): 164–170. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  3. ↑ "Styphelia obovata". APNI. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  4. ↑ Labillardière, Jaques (1805). Novae Hollandiae plantarum specimen. Paris. p. 48. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  5. ↑ "Leucopogon obovatus". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  6. ↑ Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 238. ISBN   9780958034180.
  7. ↑ "Leucopogon obovatus subsp. obovatus". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  8. ↑ "Leucopogon obovatus subsp. revolutus". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  9. 1 2 "Leucopogon obovatus subsp. obovatus". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  10. 1 2 "Leucopogon obovatus subsp. revolutus". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  11. ↑ Johnstone, R.E.; Storr, G.M. (1998). Taylor, Deborah (ed.). Handbook of Western Australian birds. Vol. v.1 — non passerines. Perth: Western Australian Museum. p. 300. ISBN   0730712087.
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