Maireana humillima

Maireana humillima
In Yathong Nature Reserve
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Amaranthaceae
Genus:	Maireana
Species:	M. humillima
Binomial name
Maireana humillima (F.Muell.) Paul G.Wilson [1]
Synonyms [1]
Kochia humillimaF.Muell.

Maireana humillima is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaranthaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a low, spreading perennial plant with hairy branches, narrowly elliptic to narrowly egg-shaped or narrowly lance-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, bisexual flowers arranged singly, and a glabrous fruiting perianth with a simple, circular wing that is woolly on its upper surface.

Description

Maireana humillima is a low, spreading perennial plant with hairy branches up to 20 cm (7.9 in) long. Its leaves are arranged alternately, narrowly elliptic to narrowly egg-shaped or narrowly lance-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, 5–15 mm (0.20–0.59 in) long with shaggy light brown hairs pressed against the surface. The flowers are arranged singly with a pair of narrowly egg-shaped bracteoles about 1.5 mm (0.059 in) long at the base. The fruiting perianth is glabrous apart from the woolly hairy upper side of the wing with a cup-shaped tube 1.5–2.0 mm (0.059–0.079 in) long. The wings is simple, circular, horizontal but thin, about 12 mm (0.47 in) in diameter. ^{[2] [3] [4] [5]}

Taxonomy

This species was first described in 1875 by Ferdinand von Mueller who gave it the name Kochia humillima in his Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae from specimens he collected near the Murray, Murrumbidgee, Campaspe and Edwards. ^[6] In 1975, Paul G. Wilson transferred the species to Maireana as M. humillima in the journal Nuytsia . ^{[3] [7]} The specific epithet (humillima) means 'the lowest' or 'smallest'. ^[8]

Distribution and habitat

This species of Maireana usually grows in heavy soil and is found in Queensland, and the western slopes and plains of New South Wales to southern Victoria. ^{[2] [4] [5]}

References

1. "Maireana humillima". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
2. Wilson, Paul G. "Maireana humillima". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
3. Wilson, Paul G. (1975). "A Taxonomic Revision of the genus Maireana (Chenopodiaceae)". Nuytsia. 2 (1): 19–20. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
4. Jacobs, Surrey W.L. "Maireana humillima". Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
5. Walsh, Neville G.; Stajsic, Val. "Maireana humillima". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
6. "Kochia humillima". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
7. "Maireana humillima". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
8. George, Alex; Sharr, Francis (2021). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 224. ISBN   9780958034180.