Myoporum velutinum

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Myoporum velutinum
Myoporum velutinum.jpg
Status DECF R.svg
Declared rare  (DEC)
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Genus: Myoporum
Species:
M. velutinum
Binomial name
Myoporum velutinum
Synonyms [1]
  • Myoporum serratum var. pubescens Benth.
  • Myoporum tetrandrum var. pubescens (Benth.) Domin

Myoporum velutinum is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to a small area near Esperance in Western Australia. It has similar flowers and fruits and grows in similar environments to Myoporum tetrandrum but differs from it and all other members of the genus by having hairs on the outer edge of the petals.

Contents

Description

Myoporum velutinum is a shrub which sometimes grows to a height of 4 metres (10 ft) and which has hairs on the stem and leaves but lacks the warty surface of many other myoporums. The leaves are arranged alternately and are lance shaped, usually 50–72 millimetres (2–3 in) long, 7–16 millimetres (0.3–0.6 in) wide, soft, covered with soft hairs, darker green on the upper surface and have a prominent mid-vein. [2]

The flowers are borne in leaf axils, usually in groups of 1 to 5 on stalks 4–9 millimetres (0.2–0.4 in) long. There are 5 triangular, pointed sepals and 5 petals forming a bell-shaped tube. The petals are white or pale lilac, sometimes spotted inside the tube and on the base of the lobes. The tube is 2.5–4 millimetres (0.1–0.2 in) long and the lobes are about the same length. The tube is hairy on its inner and outer surfaces and there are 4 stamens which extend slightly beyond the petal tube. The fruit that follows flowering is an oval-shaped drupe, about 3–3.5 by 3–4.5 millimetres (0.1 in–0.1 in × 0.1 in–0.2 in). [2]

Taxonomy and naming

Myoporum velutinum was first formally described by taxonomist Bob Chinnock in Eremophila and allied genera: a monograph of the plant family Myoporaceae in 2007 [3] [2] from a specimen collected near Condingup. The specific epithet (velutinum) is a Latin word meaning "velvety", referring to the indumentum of the leaves". [2] [4]

Distribution and habitat

Myoporum velutinum occurs in a small area near Cape Le Grand where it grows along creeks in Melaleuca woodland. [2] [5] [6] [7]

Conservation

Myoporum velutinum has been classified as " Threatened Flora (Declared Rare Flora — Extant)" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife [6] meaning that it is "likely to become extinct or is rare, or otherwise in need of special protection". [8]

Related Research Articles

<i>Eremophila decipiens</i> Species of plant

Eremophila decipiens, commonly known as slender fuchsia bush or narrow-leaved fuchsia bush is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to an area extending from the south-west of Western Australia to southern parts of South Australia. It is low, sprawling shrub with lance-shaped leaves and red, orange or yellow flowers on a long, S-shaped stalk.

<i>Eremophila denticulata</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila denticulata, also known as toothed eremophila, toothed poverty bush and Fitzgerald eremophila, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with red flowers and leaves that have toothed margins.

Diocirea is a genus of flowering plants in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae. The genus is endemic to a small area in the south-west of Western Australia and is intermediate in character between Eremophila and Myoporum. There are four members of the genus, all of which are small shrubs with stems and leaves which produce a resin making the plants appear bluish-green. Neither the genus, nor any of the species had been described before 2007 although a few specimens had been collected as Eremophila elachantha. Despite their limited distribution, they often occur in populations of several thousand individual plants, forming a dense ground cover.

<i>Myoporum oppositifolium</i> Species of flowering plant

Myoporum oppositifolium, commonly known as twin-leaf myoporum, is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae. It is easily distinguished from others in the genus by the combination of glabrous leaves and branches, its opposite leaf arrangement and its serrated leaves. Its distribution is restricted to the extreme south-west of Western Australia.

<i>Myoporum tetrandrum</i> Species of flowering plant

Myoporum tetrandrum, commonly known as slender myoporum or boobialla is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae. It is an erect and spreading shrub endemic to the south-west of Western Australia, common in moist areas and like most of the other members of its genus has bell shaped, star-like white flowers in the leaf axils.

<i>Myoporum turbinatum</i> Species of flowering plant

Myoporum turbinatum, commonly known as salt myoporum, is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to a small area near Esperance in Western Australia. It is closely related to Myoporum platycarpum but has much narrower leaves and differently shaped fruit. Its sticky branches and narrow, warty leaves are distinctive.

Glycocystis beckeri is the only species of the flowering plant genus Glycocystis in the family Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to the south west of Western Australia. It is a shrub, similar to others in the genera Eremophila and Myoporum but is unusual in that it produces very large amounts of sticky, sweet-smelling resin produced by raised glands which cover the entire plant, except for the petals. It has been suggested that the resin traps insects which the plant uses as a source of nitrogen.

Diocirea acutifolia is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to a small area near Norseman in Western Australia. The branches and leaves produce sticky resin which sometimes covers the whole plant making it appear bluish grey. This species is distinguished from the three others in the genus by its leaves which are longer than 6 millimetres (0.2 in) and the prominent resin glands on its stems.

Eremophila dendritica is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to the south of Australia. It is a low, shrub with many tangled branches. Its branches, leaves and flowers are densely covered with hairs giving them a felty texture.

<i>Eremophila densifolia</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila densifolia is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is usually a low, spreading shrub with densely clustered leaves and lilac to purple flowers.

Eremophila falcata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a widely distributed shrub with distinctive curved leaves and white, lilac-coloured or pink flowers.

<i>Eremophila flabellata</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila flabellata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a small shrub with serrated leaves, broad serrated sepals and pink, purple or mauve flowers.

<i>Eremophila flaccida</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila flaccida is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a low, spreading shrub with sticky, shiny foliage and large, attractive flowers. There are two subspecies, one common and relatively widespread, the other known from only a few locations.

<i>Eremophila glandulifera</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila glandulifera is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a small shrub with hairy, grey foliage and attractive deep pink to red flowers usually growing in mulga woodland.

<i>Eremophila glutinosa</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila glutinosa, commonly known as sticky emu bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect, densely foliaged shrub with branches and leaves sticky and shiny due to the presence of resin. It has hairy sepals and lilac-coloured flowers.

<i>Eremophila magnifica</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila magnifica is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with large, clustered leaves and large, attractive lilac-coloured or purple flowers, sometimes so densely clustered that they appear like compound heads of terminal flowers.

Eremophila pungens is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is an erect, sticky shrub with broad, serrated-edged leaves which end in a sharp spine and purple or violet flowers.

<i>Eremophila recurva</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila recurva is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a shrub with hairy grey leaves, large grey sepals and blue, mauve or lilac flowers.

Eremophila simulans is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with broad, serrated leaves and violet to purple flowers.

Eremophila viscimarginata is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a small, erect, prickly shrub with hairy stems, small leaves, greenish-pink sepals and mauve petals.

References

  1. 1 2 "Myoporum velutinum". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Chinnock, R.J. (Bob) (2007). Eremophila and allied genera : a monograph of the plant family Myoporaceae (1st ed.). Dural, NSW: Rosenberg. pp. 125–126. ISBN   9781877058165.
  3. ↑ "Myoporum velutinum". APNI. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  4. ↑ Francis Aubie Sharr (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and their Meanings. Kardinya, Western Australia: Four Gables Press. p. 335. ISBN   9780958034180.
  5. ↑ Archer, William. "Myoporum tetrandrum - Boobialla". Esperance Wildflowers. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  6. 1 2 "Myoporum turbinatum Chinnock". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  7. ↑ Paczkowska, Grazyna; Chapman, Alex R. (2000). The Western Australian flora : a descriptive catalogue. Perth: Wildflower Society of Western Australia. p. 344. ISBN   0646402439.
  8. ↑ "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
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