Mirbelia speciosa | |
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Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, Australia | |
Scientific classification | |
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.
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]
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Pyramus de Candolle Augustin Pyramus de Candolle in his Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis from an unpublished description by Franz Sieber.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:
This mirbelia grows in heath, woodland and forest north from the Illawarra region in New South Wales to north Queensland. [2] [13]
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]
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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Bossiaea rhombifolia, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is an erect, glabrous shrub with diamond-shaped, more or less round or broadly egg-shaped leaves, and yellow and red or pinkish flowers.
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Pultenaea parviflora, commonly known as Sydney bush-pea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to eastern New South Wales. It is usually a small, erect shrub with wedge-shaped to narrow egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and clusters of yellow to orange and red flowers.
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.
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.
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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.
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.
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.
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