Mirbelia rubiifolia

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Mirbelia rubiifolia
Wildflower Morton National Park.JPG
In Morton National Park
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Mirbelia
Species:
M. rubiifolia
Binomial name
Mirbelia rubiifolia
Synonyms
  • Mirbelia reticulata Sm. nom. illeg., nom. superfl.
  • Mirbelia rubiaefoliaG.Don orth. var.
  • Pultenaea rubiaefoliaAndrews orth. var.
  • Pultenaea rubiifoliaAndrews
Fruit at Barrenjoey Mirbelia rubiifolia (fruit) PC130077.jpg
Fruit at Barrenjoey

Mirbelia rubiifolia, commonly known as heathy mirbelia, [2] is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a diffuse, spreading shrub with narrowly egg-shaped to linear, sharply-pointed leaves and clusters of pink to purple flowers.

Contents

Description

Mirbelia rubiifolia is a diffuse, spreading shrub that typically grows to a height of up to 50 cm (20 in) and has angular stems, sometimes covered with soft hairs pressed against the surface. Its leaves are arranged in whorls of three, and are narrowly egg-shaped to lance-shaped or linear, mostly 10–25 mm (0.39–0.98 in) long, 2–4 mm (0.079–0.157 in) long and sharply pointed, on a petiole up to 1 mm (0.039 in) long. The upper surface has a conspicuous network of veins and the lower surface sometimes has a few scattered hairs. The flowers are arranged in clusters in leaf axils or in racemes on the ends of branches on silky-hairy pedicels up to 2 mm (0.079 in) long. The sepals are 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) long and joined at the base, the upper two lobes almost completely fused. The petals are 8–9 mm (0.31–0.35 in) long and pink to purple, rarely white, the standard petal kidney-shaped and the keel much shorter than the wings. Flowering occurs from October to December and the fruit is a oval pod about 5 mm (0.20 in) long. [2] [3] [4] [5]

Taxonomy

Heathy mirbelia was first formally described in 1804 by Henry Cranke Andrews who gave it the name Pultenaea rubiaefolia in The Botanist's Repository for New, and Rare Plants, from material that had been taken to England and cultivated by Lee and Kennedy in Hammersmith in 1792. James Edward Smith changed the name to Mirbelia reticulata in 1805, noting that "[t]he leaves are elegantly reticulated with transverse veins, as if stitched with thread" but the name is illegitimate. [6] [7] In 1832, George Don changed the name to Mirbelia rubiifolia in A General History of Dichlamydeous Plants. [8] [9] The specific epithet (rubiifolia) refers to the resemblance of its leaves to those of the genus Rubus . [10]

Distribution and habitat

Heathy mirbelia is found in sclerophyll forest and woodlands, as well as in heath on sandy soils on the coast or tablelands, often in areas liable to inundation. It is found from Croajingolong National Park in Victoria northward through New South Wales to Queensland. [11] [12]

Use in horticulture

Mirbelia rubiifolia is rarely cultivated, but adapts well to a part-shaded spot in a subtropical garden. Supplementary water in dry spells is beneficial. It can be an untidy and scrambling shrub which can look better with pruning. [10]

Related Research Articles

<i>Mirbelia</i> Genus of legumes

Mirbelia is a plant genus belonging to the family Fabaceae and is endemic to Australia, occurring in every mainland state except South Australia. Plants in the genus Mirbelia are prickly, perennial shrubs with simple, sometimes sharply-pointed leaves, or the leaves absent. The flowers are arranged singly or in groups in leaf axils or on the ends of branches, the sepals joined at the base with five teeth. The petals are usually red, orange, purplish or bluish and the fruit is an inflated pod.

<i>Aotus ericoides</i> Species of legume

Aotus ericoides, also known as common aotus or golden pea, is a shrub in the family Fabaceae. It flowers in leaf axils in spring and has yellow pea flowers with splotches of red. It is endemic to eastern Australia.

<i>Mirbelia oxylobioides</i> Species of legume

Mirbelia oxylobioides, commonly known as mountain mirbelia or sandstone bushpea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a low-lying or erect shrub with narrowly elliptic to egg-shaped leaves and orange-yellow and reddish-purple flowers arranged near the end of the branches.

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

Prostanthera phylicifolia, commonly known as spiked mint-bush, is a species of plant in the family Lamiaceae. It is an erect shrub with four-ridged branches, narrow egg-shaped to oval leaves and white or pale lilac-coloured flowers with purple and yellow spots.

<i>Bossiaea scolopendria</i> Species of legume

Bossiaea scolopendria, commonly known as plank plant, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It is an erect, sparsely-branched shrub with flattened branches, ending in winged cladodes, the leaves mostly reduced to small scales except on the youngest branches, and yellow and red flowers.

<i>Lasiopetalum ferrugineum</i> Species of flowering plant

Lasiopetalum ferrugineum, commonly known as rusty velvet-bush, is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family and is endemic to eastern Australia. Growing up to a metre tall, much of the plant is covered in rusty hairs. It is found in forest and heathland.

<i>Lasiopetalum macrophyllum</i> Species of shrub

Lasiopetalum macrophyllum, commonly known as shrubby velvet bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a shrub with egg-shaped to lance-shaped with rust-coloured hairs on the lower surface, and woolly-hairy, cream-coloured and reddish flowers.

<i>Tetratheca bauerifolia</i> Species of shrub

Tetratheca bauerifolia, commonly known as heath pink-bells, is a flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a small compact shrub with pink-mauve flowers.

<i>Androcalva fraseri</i> Species of tree

Androcalva fraseri, commonly known as blackfellow's hemp or brush kurrajong, is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a small tree or shrub that forms suckers and has egg-shaped or lance-shaped leaves with serrated edges, and clusters of 13 to 21 white flowers.

<i>Thryptomene calycina</i> Species of shrub

Thryptomene calycina, commonly known as Grampians thryptomene, is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to Victoria in Australia. It is an erect or spreading shrub with oblong, elliptic or egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end toward the base, and white flowers with five stamens.

<i>Mirbelia baueri</i> Species of legume

Mirbelia baueri is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It is an erect or prostrate shrub with sharply-pointed linear leaves and orange and purple flowers.

<i>Mirbelia speciosa</i> Species of legume

Mirbelia speciosa is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is an erect shrub with narrowly linear leaves arranged in whorls of three, and bluish-purple flowers usually arranged singly in leaf axils.

<i>Prostanthera arapilensis</i> Species of flowering plant

Prostanthera arapilensis is a flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to a small area of Victoria, Australia. It is an erect shrub with hairy branches, broadly egg-shaped to more or less round leaves and pale mauve or white flowers with orange-brown spots or streaks inside the petal tube.

<i>Cryptandra ericoides</i> Species of flowering plant

Cryptandra ericoides, commonly known as heathy cryptandra, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rhamnaceae and is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It is a wiry, low-lying to erect shrub with often clustered, cylindrical leaves, and tube-shaped white flowers arranged in clusters on the ends of branchlets.

<i>Bossiaea stephensonii</i> Species of legume

Bossiaea stephensonii is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to near-coastal areas of New South Wales. It is a small, weakly erect, multi-stemmed shrub with sharply-pointed, mostly elliptic to egg-shaped leaves, and bright yellow and red flowers.

<i>Epacris muelleri</i> Species of flowering plant

Epacris muelleri, commonly known as Mueller's heath, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to eastern New South Wales. It is an erect, or weak straggling shrub with more or less glabrous branchlets, elliptic leaves and white or cream-coloured, tube-shaped flowers.

<i>Mirbelia confertiflora</i> Species of legume

Mirbelia confertiflora is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a rigid, bushy shrub with linear leaves and yellow to orange flowers arranged in racemes near the end of the branches.

Epacris rigida is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae and is endemic to eastern New South Wales. It is an erect, bushy shrub with elliptic leaves and white or cream-coloured, tube-shaped flowers.

<i>Mirbelia pungens</i> Species of legume

Mirbelia pungens, commonly known as prickly mirbelia, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It is an erect or prostrate shrub with sharply-pointed linear leaves and orange-red flowers with blue or purple markings.

Mirbelia rhagodioides is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to inland areas of Western Australia. It is an erect, prickly shrub with clustered linear or narrowly elliptic leaves and yellow and red flowers.

References

  1. "Mirbelia rubiifolia". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  2. 1 2 Porteners, Marianne F. "Mirbelia rubiifolia". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  3. Alan Fairley – Wildflowers of Sydney & adjoining areas ISBN   1-876473-38-X page 204
  4. Jeanes, Jeff A.; Walsh, Neville G. "Mirbelia rubiifolia". Rpoyal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  5. Robinson, Les (1991). Field guide to the native plants of Sydney. Kenthurst, NSW: Kangaroo Press. p. 82. ISBN   0864171927.
  6. "Mirbelia reticulata". APNI. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  7. Smith, James E. (1805). "Remarks on the generic Characters of the Decandrous Papilionaceous Plants of New Holland". Annals of Botany. 1 (3): 511–512. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  8. "Mirbelia rubiifolia". APNI. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  9. Don, George (1832). A General History of Dichlamydeous Plants. Vol. 2. London. p. 126. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  10. 1 2 Elliot, Rodger W.; Jones, David L.; Blake, Trevor (1993). Encyclopaedia of Australian Plants Suitable for Cultivation: Volume 6 (K-M). Port Melbourne: Lothian Press. pp. 430–31. ISBN   978-0-85091-589-1.
  11. Alan Fairley – Wildflowers of Sydney & adjoining areas ISBN   1-876473-38-X page 204
  12. Wild Plants of Victoria (database). Viridans Biological Databases & Department of Sustainability and Environment. 2009.