Prostanthera decussata

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Dense mintbush
Prost.decussata-atas-9.jpg
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. decussata
Binomial name
Prostanthera decussata
Prostanthera decussataDistA26.png
Occurrence data from AVH

Prostanthera decussata, commonly known as dense mintbush, [2] species of flowering plant that is endemic south-eastern Australia. It is a dense, compact, strongly aromatic shrub with egg-shaped leaves and mauve to violet flowers with yellow streaks, arranged in leaf axils near the ends of branchlets.

Contents

Description

Prostanthera decussata is a dense, compact, strongly aromatic shrub that typically grows to a height of up to 2 m (6 ft 7 in). The leaves are egg-shaped, 4–7 mm (0.16–0.28 in) long, 1–3.5 mm (0.039–0.138 in) wide and sessile or on a petiole up to 0.6 mm (0.024 in) long. They are dark green on top and paler on the underside. The flowers are arranged in leaf axils near the ends of branchlets with bracteoles 2.5–3 mm (0.098–0.118 in) long at the base. The sepals are 3.5–4 mm (0.14–0.16 in) long forming a tube 1–1.5 mm (0.039–0.059 in) long with two lobes, the upper lobe 2–2.5 mm (0.079–0.098 in) long. The petals are mauve to violet, occasionally pinkish, 6–8 mm (0.24–0.31 in) long. Flowering occurs from October to March. [2] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

This species was formally described in 1859 by Victorian Government Botanist Ferdinand von Mueller in Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae , based on plant material collected in mountainous country near the Macalister River in Victoria. [4] [5] The specific epithet (decussata) is from the Latin decussatus meaning "formed crosswise like the letter X". [6]

Distribution and habitat

Dense mintbush grows in heath, forest and woodland in the eastern half of Victoria, in the Australian Capital Territory and mainly in the south-eastern part of New South Wales. [2] [3]

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<i>Prostanthera phylicifolia</i> Species of shrub

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<i>Persoonia arborea</i> Species of shrub

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

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

Prostanthera hirtula, commonly known as hairy mintbush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to the south-eastern continental Australia. It is a strongly aromatic, densely hairy, spreading shrub with narrow egg-shaped leaves and dark mauve flowers, and that grows in exposed, rocky sites.

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

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<i>Prostanthera prostantheroides</i> Species of shrub

Prostanthera prostantheroides is a plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a shrub with heart-shaped to round leaves and usually white flowers with purple spots inside the petal tube.

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

Prostanthera althoferi is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to inland areas of Australia. It is an erect shrub with its stems and leaves densely covered with silvery, greyish-green hairs, and has narrow egg-shaped leaves and white to cream-coloured flowers with mauve or purple striations inside.

Prostanthera athertoniana is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to a restricted area of Queensland. It is a small, densely-foliaged shrub with strongly aromatic, elliptical, oblong or egg-shaped leaves and hairy, purplish-mauve flowers arranged singly in upper leaf axils.

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

Prostanthera canaliculata is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small, erect shrub with hairy branchlets, narrow egg-shaped to narrow elliptical leaves and pale blue or pale violet to white flowers with no markings.

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

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

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

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

Prostanthera grylloana is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a small, erect shrub with densely hairy branchlets, small, spatula-shaped leaves and red to pink flowers.

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

Prostanthera scutata is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a small, erect, compact shrub with densely hairy branches, elliptic to narrow elliptic leaves and pale blue or faintly violet flowers.

<i>Prostanthera wilkieana</i> Species of plant

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References

  1. "Prostanthera decussata". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 Conn, Barry J. "Prostanthera decussata". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  3. 1 2 Conn, Barry J. "Prostanthera decussata". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  4. "Prostanthera decussata". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  5. von Mueller, Ferdinand (1859). Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae. Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer. pp. 126–127. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  6. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 239.