Philotheca difformis

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Philotheca difformis
Philotheca difformis subspecies difformis close up.jpg
Philotheca difformis subsp. difformis
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Rutaceae
Genus: Philotheca
Species:
P. difformis
Binomial name
Philotheca difformis
Synonyms [1]
  • Eriostemon difformeEndl. orth. var.
  • Eriostemon difformisA.Cunn. ex Endl.
  • Eriostemon rhombeum Lindl. orth. var.
  • Eriostemon rhombeusLindl.
Subspecies smithiana in the ANBG Philotheca difformis smithiana.jpg
Subspecies smithiana in the ANBG
Habit of subspecies difformis near Goolgowi Philotheca difformis difformis habit.jpg
Habit of subspecies difformis near Goolgowi
Subspecies smithiana flower and foliage Philotheca difformis subspecies smithiana.jpg
Subspecies smithiana flower and foliage

Philotheca difformis is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to continental eastern Australia. It is a shrub with variably-shaped leaves depending on subspecies, and white flowers arranged singly or in groups of up to four on the ends of the branchlets. Subspecies difformis is commonly known as the small-leaf wax-flower. [2]

Contents

Description

Philotheca difformis is a shrub that grows to a height of about 1–2 m (3 ft 3 in – 6 ft 7 in) and has glandular-warty branchlets. The leaves are fleshy, glabrous, glandular warty on a short petiole but vary in size and shaped depending on subspecies. Subspecies difformis has fleshy leaves that are more or less cylindrical, about 8 mm (0.31 in) long and 1 mm (0.039 in) wide and subspecies smithiana has leaves that are flat, more or less egg-shaped, about 4 mm (0.16 in) long and 2 mm (0.079 in) wide. The flowers are borne singly or in clusters of two to four on the ends of the branchlets, each flower on a pedicel 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) long. There are five fleshy triangular sepals and five oblong white petals 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long with a thick midrib. The ten stamens are woolly-hairy. Flowering occurs sporadically throughout the year and the fruit is about 5 mm (0.20 in) long, warty and beaked. [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

This species was first formally described in 1837 by Stephan Endlicher from an unpublished description by Allan Cunningham who gave it the name Eriostemon difformis. Endlicher published the description in Enumaratio plantarum . [5] Cunningham collected the type specimens in "sterile country on the Lachlan River" on 24 May 1817, during John Oxley's first expedition. [6]

In 1998, Wilson changed the name to Philotheca difformis in the journal Nuytsia and described two subspecies: [7] [8]

Distribution and habitat

Philotheca difformis subspecies difformis grows in rocky areas in woodland, mainly in inland parts of south-east Queensland, inland New South Wales, north-west Victoria and the Flinders Ranges in South Australia. [2] [11] [12] [13]

Subspecies smithiana often grows on rock outcrops and is found near the coast in south-east Queensland and in north-eastern New South Wales as far south as Singleton. [14] [15]

Related Research Articles

<i>Philotheca verrucosa</i> Species of plant

Philotheca verrucosa, commonly known as fairy wax-flower or Bendigo wax-flower, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a small shrub with prominently glandular-warty branchlets, heart-shaped or egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and white flowers usually arranged singly in leaf axils.

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

Philotheca salsolifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. It is a shrub with crowded, more or less cylindrical leaves and pink to mauve flowers with a dark central stripe and arranged singly or in twos or threes on the ends of branchlets.

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

Philotheca buxifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It is a shrub with more or less oblong leaves and solitary white to pink flowers arranged singly on the ends of branchlets.

<i>Philotheca angustifolia</i> Species of plant

Philotheca angustifolia, commonly known as narrow-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 small leaves and white flowers with five egg-shaped petals in spring.

Philotheca brevifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to a small area in south-western New South Wales. It is a spreading shrub with fleshy, sessile, cylindrical leaves and white to pink flowers arranged singly or in small groups on the ends of branchlets.

<i>Philotheca coccinea</i> Species of plant

Philotheca coccinea is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a shrub with club-shaped leaves that are warty on the lower surface, and red to pink flowers arranged singly in leaf axils.

<i>Philotheca conduplicata</i> Species of plant

Philotheca conduplicata is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a shrub with elliptical leaves clustered near the ends of the branchlets and white flowers arranged singly or in two or threes on the ends of the branchlets.

<i>Philotheca deserti</i> Species of plant

Philotheca deserti is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to inland Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with narrow spindle-shaped, glandular-warty leaves and white flowers arranged singly in leaf axils.

<i>Philotheca epilosa</i> Species of plant

Philotheca epilosa is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a shrub with egg-shaped to lance-shaped leaves with the narrower end toward the base and crowded near the ends of the glandular-warty branchlets, and white flowers usually arranged singly on the ends of the branchlets.

Philotheca ericifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It is a much-branched shrub with glandular-warty branchlets, needle-shaped leaves and white to pink flowers arranged singly or in groups of up to six on the ends of the branchlets.

<i>Philotheca gardneri</i> Species of plant

Philotheca gardneri is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with crowded, narrow club-shaped or more or less spherical leaves and white flowers with a prominent pink midrib, usually borne singly on the ends of branchlets.

<i>Philotheca linearis</i> Species of plant

Philotheca linearis, commonly known as the rock wallaby shrub or narrow-leaf wax-flower, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to an inland areas of southern Australia. It is a shrub with glandular-warty branchlets and leaves, club-shaped to cylindrical leaves and white flowers arranged singly in leaf axils.

<i>Philotheca myoporoides <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> myoporoides</i> Subspecies of flowering plant

Philotheca myoporoides subsp. myoporoides, commonly known as long-leaf wax flower, is a subspecies of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It is a shrub with oblong to elliptic or egg-shaped leaves and white or pink flowers arranged in groups of three to eight in leaf axils.

<i>Philotheca nodiflora</i> Species of plant

Philotheca nodiflora is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a weak shrub with more or less cylindrical leaves and blue to pink flowers arranged in compact heads.

Philotheca obovatifolia, commonly known as mountain wax-flower, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a small shrub with broadly egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end toward the base and densely crowded near the ends of the glandular-warty branchlets, and cream-coloured flowers tinged with pink and arranged singly or in groups of up to five in leaf axils.

<i>Philotheca pachyphylla</i> Species of plant

Philotheca pachyphylla is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a small shrub with fleshy, oblong, prominently glandular-warty leaves and white flowers arranged singly in leaf axils.

Philotheca rhomboidea is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small undershrub with thick, broadly elliptic to round leaves and white to pale pink flowers arranged singly or in twos or threes at the end of branchlets.

<i>Philotheca scabra</i> Species of plant

Philotheca scabra is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It is a small shrub with variably shaped leaves, depending on subspecies, and single white to pink flowers arranged on the ends of branchlets.

<i>Philotheca virgata</i> Species of plant

Philotheca virgata, commonly known as Tasmanian wax-flower, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a slender, erect shrub with wedge-shaped to oblong leaves and white or pale pink flowers at the ends of branchlets. It is the only philotheca with four sepals and petals.

References

  1. 1 2 "Philotheca difformis". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  2. 1 2 Crayn, Darren M. "Philotheca difformis subsp. difformis". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  3. Wilson, Paul G.; Wilson, Annette J.G. (ed.) (2013). Flora of Australia (Volume 26). Canberra: Australian Biological Resources Study. p. 378. Retrieved 2 August 2020.{{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)
  4. Weston, Peter H.; Harden, Gwen J. "Philotheca difformis". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  5. Endlicher, Stephan (1837). Enumeratio plantarum quas in Novae Hollandiae ora austro-occidentali ad fluvium Cygnorum et in sinu Regis Georgii collegit Carolus Liber Baro de Hügel. New York. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  6. "Eriostemon difformis". APNI. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  7. "Philotheca difformis". APNI. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  8. Wilson, Paul G. (1998). "A Taxonomic Review of the genera Eriostemon and Philotheca". Nuytsia. 12 (2): 249–251. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  9. "Philotheca difformis subsp. difformis". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  10. "Philotheca difformis subsp. smithiana". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  11. Wilson, Paul G.; Wilson, Annette J.G. (ed.) (2013). Flora of Australia (Volume 26). Canberra: Australian Biological Resources Study. p. 379. Retrieved 2 August 2020.{{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)
  12. Bayly, Michael J. "Philotheca difformis subsp. difformis". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  13. "Philotheca difformis subsp. difformis". Seed Conservation Service of South Australia. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  14. Wilson, Paul G.; Wilson, Annette J.G. (ed.) (2013). Flora of Australia (Volume 26). Canberra: Australian Biological Resources Study. p. 379. Retrieved 2 August 2020.{{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)
  15. Crayn, Darren M. "Philotheca difformis subsp. smithiana". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 2 August 2020.