Mirbelia speciosa

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Mirbelia speciosa
Pea Flower Large Purple Towlers Track.jpg
Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, Australia
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Mirbelia
Species:
M. speciosa
Binomial name
Mirbelia speciosa

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.

Contents

Description

Mirbelia speciosa is an erect shrub that typically grows to a height of up to about 1 m (3 ft 3 in) and has angular stems. Its leaves are arranged in whorls of three, and are narrowly linear, 10–30 mm (0.39–1.18 in) long, 2–4 mm (0.079–0.157 in) long and sharply pointed, the edges rolled under. The flowers are mostly arranged in leaf axils, the sepals are 6–8 mm (0.24–0.31 in) long, silky-hairy and joined at the base to form a tube with tapering teeth about as long as the tube. The petals are 8–13 mm (0.31–0.51 in) long and bluish-purple, often with a yellowish mark near the base of the standard petal. Flowering occurs in July and August and the fruit is an oval pod 8–15 mm (0.31–0.59 in) long. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy

Mirbelia speciosa was first formally described in 1825 by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle Augustin Pyramus de Candolle in his Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis from an unpublished description by Franz Sieber. [5] [6] The specific epithet “speciosa” means "showy", referring to flowers. [7]

In 1977, Leslie Pedley reduced M. ringrosei F.M.Bailey to M. speciosa subsp. ringrosei in the journal Austrobaileya , [8] and the name and that of the autonym (subsp. speciosa), are accepted by the Australian Plant Census:

Distribution and habitat

This mirbelia grows in heath, woodland and forest north from the Illawarra region in New South Wales to north Queensland. [2] [13]

Use in horticulture

This species is not recommended for clay soils that are not well drained or sites with excessive frost. A sunny situation is preferred, though it does better with a small amount of shade. Fertilizers may be used, but are only recommended if they have a low pH (higher acid) levels.

This plant strikes easily from tip cuttings. Alternatively, seed propagation is also successful. Seeds may be treated by very hot (but not boiling) water for two minutes. After drying overnight, they should be planted and placed in a sunny situation. Germination usually occurs within two weeks. [14]

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.

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

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<i>Darwinia diosmoides</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Amyema gaudichaudii</i> Species of mistletoe

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<i>Styphelia conostephioides</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Dillwynia acicularis</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Pultenaea echinula</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Pultenaea euchila</i> Species of flowering plant

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

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<i>Pultenaea microphylla</i> Species of flowering plant

Pultenaea microphylla is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is an erect to prostrate shrub with narrow egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and clusters of up to ten yellow to red flowers with reddish markings.

<i>Pultenaea parviflora</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Pomaderris ligustrina</i> Species of flowering plant

Pomaderris ligustrina, commonly known as privet pomaderris, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rhamnaceae and is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It is a shrub with hairy stems, lance-shaped to narrowly elliptic leaves, and loose clusters of cream-coloured or yellow 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.

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

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

Leucopogon pimeleoides is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a shrub with narrowly egg-shaped leaves and spikes of white, bearded flowers.

<i>Styphelia epacridis</i> Species of flowering plant

Styphelia epacridis is a flowering plant in the family Ericaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a straggling shrub with lance-shaped or linear leaves with a sharp point on the tip, and red, tube-shaped flowers arranged singly in leaf axils.

<i>Acrotriche affinis</i> Species of plant

Acrotriche affinis, commonly known as ridged ground-berry or prickly honeypots, is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae, and is endemic to south-eastern, continental Australia. It is an erect shrub with many branches, lance-shaped leaves, and spikes of tube-shaped, greenish flowers, and white, spherical drupes.

<i>Oxylobium pulteneae</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae

Oxylobium pulteneae, commonly known as wiry shaggy pea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to eastern New South Wales. It is a low, spreading to prostrate shrub with linear to triangular or elliptic leaves and orange-red flowers.

<i>Melichrus erubescens</i> Species of flowering plant

Melichrus erubescens, commonly known as ruby urn-heath, is a flowering plant in the family Ericaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a slender to compact, bushy shrub with mainly erect, glabrous leaves, pink to deep red flowers and more or less spherical, red drupes.

References

  1. "Mirbelia speciosa". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  2. 1 2 Porteners, Marianne F. "Mirbelia speciosa". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  3. Alan Fairley – Wildflowers of Sydney & adjoining areas ISBN   1-876473-38-X page 147
  4. Les Robinson - Field Guide to the Native Plants of Sydney, ISBN   978-0-7318-1211-0 page 83
  5. "Mirbelia speciosa". APNI. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  6. de Candolle, Augustin P. (1825). Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis. Vol. 2. Paris. p. 109. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  7. Les Robinson - Field Guide to the Native Plants of Sydney, ISBN   978-0-7318-1211-0 page 83
  8. Pedley, Leslie (1977). "Notes on Leguminosae. I." Austrobaileya. 1 (1): 37. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  9. "Mirbelia speciosa subsp. ringrosei". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  10. Porteners, Marianne F. "Mirbelia speciosa subsp. ringrosei". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  11. "Mirbelia speciosa subsp. speciosa". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  12. Porteners, Marianne F. "Mirbelia speciosa subsp. speciosa". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  13. "Mirbelia speciosa". Atlas of Living Australia. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  14. "Mirbelia speciosa, Australian Government, Growing Native Plants".