Prostanthera askania

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Tranquility mintbush
Prostanthera askania6 - Doug Beckers.jpg
In Bouddi National Park
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Prostanthera
Species:
P. askania
Binomial name
Prostanthera askania
Prostanthera askaniaDistA6.png
Occurrence data from AVH

Prostanthera askania, commonly known as tranquility mintbush, [2] is a shrub that is endemic to Australia. It has mostly pale mauve flowers, strongly scented leaves and branches, dull green, toothed egg-shaped leaves and a restricted distribution.

Contents

Description

Prostanthera askania is a small, upright, spreading shrub to 1–2.5 m (3–8 ft) high and similar diameter. The strongly aromatic dull green leaves are egg-shaped, paler on the underside, covered with long spreading hairs 12–40 mm (0.47–1.57 in) long and 8–24 mm (0.31–0.94 in) wide and rounded at the apex. The edges have forward facing teeth 5–10 mm (0.20–0.39 in) long and leaves either squared at the base or gradually narrows to the 2–6 mm (0.079–0.236 in) long hairy petiole. The bracts are 2.5–3 mm (0.098–0.118 in) long and remain after flowering. The dull green bracts 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long, the tube 1.5–2.5 mm (0.059–0.098 in) long and the lobes 1.8–3.5 mm (0.071–0.138 in) long. The 4-10 light mauve or bluish flowers appear in leafy clusters at the end of branches, petals 12–14 mm (0.47–0.55 in) long. Flowering occurs from June to December. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

Prostanthera askania was first formally described in 1997 by Barry Conn and the description was published in Telopea . [5] [6] The specific epithet askania is named after Askania Park a private reserve west of Ourimbah, where it grows in sheltered gullies. [7]

Distribution and habitat

Tranquility mint bush has a restricted distribution near creeks that flow into Brisbane Water or Tuggerah Lake near Gosford in New South Wales. It grows as an understory shrub near rainforest on flats to reasonably steep slopes in sandstone and alluvial soils. [4] [6]

Conservation status

Prostanthera askania is listed as "endangered" under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the New South Wales Government Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 . [4] [8]

Related Research Articles

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<i>Prostanthera cineolifera</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Prostanthera densa</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Prostanthera discolor</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Prostanthera eungella</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Prostanthera gilesii</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Prostanthera makinsonii</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Prostanthera mulliganensis</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Prostanthera oleoides</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Prostanthera palustris</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Prostanthera sejuncta</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Prostanthera stricta</i> Species of flowering plant

Prostanthera stricta, commonly known as Mount Vincent mint bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to a small area of New South Wales. It is an bushy, erect, spreading shrub with egg-shaped leaves and mauve flowers with darker spots inside.

<i>Prostanthera tallowa</i> Species of flowering plant

Prostanthera tallowa is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to the Kangaroo Valley area of New South Wales. It is an erect, aromatic shrub with narrow egg-shaped to linear leaves and mauve to light purple flowers with darker dots inside the petal tube.

<i>Prostanthera tozerana</i> Species of flowering plant

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References

  1. "Prostanthera askania". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  2. 1 2 "Prostanthera askania". PlantNET. Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  3. Fairley, Alan; Moore, Philip (2010). Native Plants of the Sydney Region. Jacana Books. ISBN   9781741755718.
  4. 1 2 3 "Prostanthera askania" (PDF). Prostanthera askania recovery plan. Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW), Hurstville, NSW. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  5. Conn, Barry J. "Prostanthera askania". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
  6. 1 2 Conn, Barry J. (1997). "Prostanthera askania". Telopea. 7 (3): 231–234. doi:10.7751/TELOPEA19971017. S2CID   88254674.
  7. Fairley, Alan (2004). Seldom Seen-Rare Plants of Greater Sydney. Louise Egerton. p. 160. ISBN   1876334991.
  8. "Tranquility Mintbush - profile". New South Wales Government Office of Environment and Heritage. Retrieved 21 August 2020.