Mirbelia speciosa

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Mirbelia speciosa
Pea Flower Large Purple Towlers Track.jpg
Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, Australia
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. 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Pyramus de Candolle Augustin Pyramus de Candolle in his Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis from an unpublished description by Franz Sieber.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.

<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>Coronidium elatum</i> Species of flowering plant

Coronidium elatum, commonly known as the white paper daisy or tall everlasting, is a perennial herbaceous shrub in the family Asteraceae found in open forests in eastern Australia. A woody shrub 0.6 to 2 m tall, it has white flowers which appear in spring. It was known as Helichrysum elatum for many years until it was finally reviewed in 2008.

<i>Gompholobium glabratum</i> Species of legume

Gompholobium glabratum, commonly known as dainty wedge-pea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It is a low-lying or ascending shrub with pinnate leaves that have five to seven leaflets, and yellow and green or greyish flowers.

<i>Baeckea brevifolia</i> Species of flowering plant

Baeckea brevifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to south-eastern New South Wales. It is a shrub with narrow egg-shaped to oblong leaves and white to pink flowers with nine to fifteen stamens.

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

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.

<i>Philotheca myoporoides</i> Species of flowering plant

Philotheca myoporoides, commonly known as long-leaf wax flower, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a shrub with sessile, oblong to egg-shaped, glandular-warty leaves and white to pink flowers arranged singly in leaf axils. Prior to 1998 it was known as Eriostemon myoporoides.

<i>Olearia elliptica</i> Species of shrub

Olearia elliptica, commonly known as the sticky daisy bush, is a shrub in the family Asteraceae and is native to New South Wales and Queensland in eastern Australia. It has scattered, sticky leaves and white flowers in summer and autumn.

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

Dillwynia acicularis is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It is an erect shrub with linear, grooved leaves and yellow flowers with red markings.

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

Dillwynia rudis is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to eastern New South Wales. It is an erect shrub with warty, linear leaves and yellow to orange flowers with red veins.

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

Pultenaea aristata, commonly known as bearded bush-pea or prickly bush-pea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It is a small, erect shrub with linear to narrow elliptic, sharp-tipped leaves, and yellow and red flowers.

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

Pultenaea echinula, commonly known as curved bush-pea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to a small area of New South Wales. It is an erect shrub with linear, needle-shaped, grooved leaves, and dense clusters of yellow to orange and red flowers.

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

Pultenaea euchila, commonly known as orange pultenaea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is an erect shrub with glabrous foliage, narrow egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and orange-coloured flowers arranged singly or in small groups near the ends of branchlets.

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

Mirbelia platylobioides is a flowering plant in the family Fabaceae. It is a small, prostrate plant with trailing stems, yellow and red pea flowers and ovate leaves. It is endemic to New South Wales.

<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

Pultenaea parviflora, sommonly 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.

<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>Sprengelia monticola</i> Species of plant

Sprengelia monticola, commonly known as rock sprengelia, is a species of flowering plant of the family Ericaceae, and is endemic to the Blue Mountains in eastern New South Wales. It is an open or low-lying shrub with egg-shaped to lance-shaped leaves, and white flowers arranged singly in leaf axils.

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

Leucopogon cymbiformis is a flowering plant in the family Ericaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a bushy or wiry shrub that typically grows to a height of 30–50 cm (12–20 in) and has more or less glabrous branches. Its leaves are erect, linear to lance-shaped and sharply-pointed, mostly 2–4 mm (0.079–0.157 in) long. The flowers are arranged in short spikes, sometimes of only two or three flowers, with lance-shaped, leaf-like bracts, and bracteoles half as long as the sepals at the base of the spikes. The sepals are 2.5–3.0 mm (0.098–0.118 in) long and the petals slightly longer than the sepals, the lobes shorter than the petal tube.

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".