Maireana astrotricha | |
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Foliage and fruit | |
Habit | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Caryophyllales |
Family: | Amaranthaceae |
Genus: | Maireana |
Species: | M. astrotricha |
Binomial name | |
Maireana astrotricha | |
Occurrence data from AVH | |
Synonyms [1] | |
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Maireana astrotricha, the low bluebush (a name it shares with Maireana planifolia ), is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaranthaceae, native to a southern portion of the Northern Territory, central South Australia, western New South Wales, and adjacent parts of Queensland. [1] [2] It is usually found growing in open habitats, typically in gravelly, well-drained soils. [2]
The genus Maireana was initially described by Moquin-Tandon after the French naturalist Maire. [3] The name astrotricha comes from the Greek 'astron', meaning star and 'trichos', meaning hairs, referring to the branched hairs. [4]
Common names include low bluebush (shared with Maireana planifolia ) and infrequently southern bluebush or grey bluebush. [4] [5]
M. astrotricha is a small, bluish-white, round shrub up to 1m high. [3] The leaves and branches have a downy covering of branched hairs. [5] The leaves are 5-10mm long, succulent, alternate with an obovate shape that narrows to a short stalk. [5]
Flowers are solitary, from the leaf axil. [5] Flowers are polygamodioecious, with the male hemispherical and the female globose. [2] The perianth is densely tomentose on the outside, with short lobes and a radial split extending to the corolla tube. [3] It fruits from the perianth wing, fruits are approximately 15-20mm diameter, simple, dry, papery, with a single radial slit. [2]
It resembles and has been mistaken for pearl bluebush ( Maireana sedifolia ). [3] M. sedifolia can be distinguished from M. astrotricha by its simple hairs, stalkless leaves and paired flowers. [6] [7]
M. astrotricha belongs to the Maireana genus of 57 species. [8] It was first described as Kochia sedifolia var. stellulata. [9] Before description in 1951 as the separate species Kochia astrotricha it was regularly confused with low bluebush ( M. planifolia ) or pearl bluebush ( M. sedifolia ). [3] The Australian species of Chenopodiaceae (now tribe Camphorosmeae of Amaranthaceae) within Kochia were subsequently recognised to have multiple morphologically distinct characters and were transferred to Maireana . [3]
M. astrotricha is found north of the Murray river, throughout western New South Wales, central South Australia, south of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory and the south western corner of Queensland adjacent to these regions. [2] Within western NSW from the Murray to the Queensland border it gradually replaces pearl bluebush (M. sedifolia ), becoming more frequent in the north. [5] In South Australia it is found from the Northern Eyre Peninsula across to the eastern and northern borders, but not recorded on the south east or Yorke and Fleurieu peninsula. [4]
It is usually found in well-drained gravelly or stony soil in open situations. [3] Bluebush communities can occur in a terrain from level to gently undulating plains or dunes. [10] M. astrotricha forms communities of one or more species, typically with M. pyramidata. Some contain bladder saltbush (Atriplex vesicaria) and can mix with adjacent A. vesicaria or mulga (Acacia aneura) communities. [10] Bluebush communities are usually found where limestone is present in the soil. [10]
Bluebush (Maireana) are slow growing with deep tap roots and extremely drought tolerant. [11] They play an important role in stabilising the landscape as they are long-lived resistant structures. [11] Bluebush retain their leaves during drought, but can survive longer periods of drought through defoliation without killing the plant. [7]
The central netted dragon and Leonhardi's ctenotus use M. astrotricha as a perch and shelter, but do not feed on it. [12] [13] The sleepy lizard uses the closely related pearl bluebush (M. sedifolia) selectively as a daytime refuge from high temperatures, suggesting that bluebush are used in the thermal ecology of some reptiles. [14]
The chestnut-breasted whiteface relies on M. astrotricha for cover and to nest. [15] The cinnamon quail-thrush often associates with the chestnut-breasted whiteface and also uses bluebush for nest sites and cover. [16] The southern whiteface and banded whiteface are also found in bluebush habitat within the range of M. astrotricha. [17] [18] The Flinders Ranges thick-billed grasswren (Amytornis modestus raglessi) is found in M. astrotricha although it is more frequently found in black bluebush (M. pyramidata). [19]
M. astrotricha is described as flowering in late spring to summer. [3] However bluebush (Maireana) flowering is sparing, irregular and has been observed throughout the year, usually following rainfall events. [4] [7]
Bluebush dispersal is not well understood. [7] The papery wing of M. astrotricha and pearl bluebush (M. sedifolia) may facilitate wind dispersal, although one study on the similar M. sedifolia found that fruits only dispersed a few metres from the plant. [7] Ants have been observed collecting bluebush fruit, but this may be for food and may not facilitate dispersal. [7]
Saltbush and bluebush (Maireana) are highly regarded as reserve forage for stock as they offer more protein and digestability than dry herbaceous species. [11] M. astrotricha is more acceptable to stock than pearl bluebush (M. sedifolia). [5]
The shriketits are a group of three species of birds in the genus Falcunculus endemic to Australia where they inhabit open eucalypt forest and woodland.
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The red-browed pardalote is a small brightly coloured insectivorous passerine, endemic to Australia. A gleaning specialist, they forage primarily in eucalypt trees . The Latin word rubricatus means 'red-ochred' which is descriptive of their orange-red eyebrow. Other common names include red-browed diamondbird, bellbird, cape red-browed, pale red-browed, fawn-eyed, fawn-eyebrowed and pallid or red-lored pardalote.
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Maireana sedifolia, also known as the bluebush or pearl bluebrush is a compact shrub endemic to Australia, and found in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory. It is used in pasture and as a garden plant where it is popular due to its distinctive grey foliage.
Maireana is a genus of around 57 species of perennial shrubs and herbs in the family Amaranthaceae which are endemic to Australia. Species in this genus were formerly classified within the genus Kochia. The genus was described in 1840 by the botanist, Moquin-Tandon and named to honour Joseph François Maire (1780-1867), an amateur botanist who befriended him during the author's first visit to Paris in 1834.
The southern whiteface is a small passerine found in arid regions across most of the southern half of the Australian continent, excluding Tasmania. Superficially finch-like in appearance, this insectivorous bird is relatively common throughout most of its range, however, overall populations appear to be in decline.
The rufous fieldwren also known as the desert wren or sandplain wren is a species of insectivorous bird in the family Acanthizidae, endemic to Australia.
The western yellow robin is a species of bird in the Australasian robin family, Petroicidae, native to Australia. Described by John Gould in 1838, the western yellow robin and its Australian relatives are not closely related to either the European or American robins, but they appear to be an early offshoot of the Passerida group of songbirds. Ranging between 13.5 and 15.5 cm long, it has grey upperparts, and a grey breast and head, broken by whitish streaks near the bill and below the eye, with a conspicuous yellow belly. The sexes are similar in appearance. Two subspecies are recognized: subspecies griseogularis, which has a yellow rump, and subspecies rosinae with an olive-green rump.
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The Lord Howe golden whistler, also known as the Lord Howe whistler or Lord Howe Island golden whistler, and locally as the “robin” or “yellow robin”, is a small bird in the whistler family, Pachycephalidae. It is a subspecies of the Australian golden whistler that is endemic to Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea, part of New South Wales, Australia.
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Camphorosmeae is a species-rich tribe of the Amaranthaceae, formerly Chenopodiaceae, with 20 genera and about 179 species. It is classified as a single tribe of subfamily Camphorosmoideae.
Casuarina cristata, commonly known as belah or muurrgu, is a species of flowering plant in the family Casuarinaceae and is endemic to inland eastern Australia. It is a tree with fissured or scaly bark, sometimes drooping branchlets, the leaves reduced to scales in whorls of 8 to 12, the fruit 13–18 mm (0.5–0.7 in) long containing winged seeds (samaras) 6.0–10.5 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long.
Maireana brevifolia is a shrub that is native to Australia and naturalised in South Africa, the Middle East and the Canary Islands. Common names in Australia include cotton bush, eastern cotton-bush, short-leaf bluebush, small-leaf bluebush and yanga bush. It grows to between 0.2 and 1 metre high. The flower-like fruits are up to 9 mm in diameter and comprise 5 paper-thin wings. It is one of the first species to appear in disturbed saline habitats.
Maireana pyramidata is a species of plant within the genus, Maireana, in the family Amaranthaceae. It is endemic to Australia, and widespread throughout Australia in the inland, where it is found in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
Maireana trichoptera is a plant in the Amaranthaceae family, native to all mainland states and territories of Australia except Queensland.
Maireana planifolia, the low bluebush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaranthaceae, native to western and central Australia. It is found in a wide variety of situations, including sandy areas, rocky slopes, and in the mulga habitat.
Maireana suaedifolia, the lax bluebush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaranthaceae, native to Western Australia and South Australia. It is typically found growing in alluvial plains or on sand dunes.
Maireana erioclada, commonly known as the rosy bluebush, is a common shrub endemic to Australia, belonging to the genus Maireana.