Prostanthera eurybioides

Last updated

Monarto mintbush
Prostanthera eurybioides.jpg
In Mount Monster Conservation Park
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Prostanthera
Species:
P. eurybioides
Binomial name
Prostanthera eurybioides
Prostanthera eurybioidesDistA34.png
Occurrence data from AVH

Prostanthera eurybioides, commonly known as Monarto mintbush, [2] is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to the south-east of South Australia. It is a low, spreading shrub with densely hairy branches, thick, elliptic to egg-shaped leaves clustered on short shoots, and violet to mid-purple flowers that are white with orange and dark purple dots inside the petal tube.

Contents

Description

Prostanthera eurybioides is a low, spreading shrub that typically grows to less than 1 m (3 ft 3 in) high and wide and has more or less cylindrical, densely hairy branches. The leaves are thick, elliptical to egg-shaped, strongly aromatic when crushed, 2–2.5 mm (0.079–0.098 in) long and 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) wide, clustered on short shoots and sessile. The flowers are arranged singly in twelve to fourteen leaf axils near the ends of branchlets, each flower on a pedicel 0.5–1.5 mm (0.020–0.059 in) long. The sepals form a tube 2.5–3 mm (0.098–0.118 in) long with two lobes, the lower lobe 1.5–3 mm (0.059–0.118 in) long, the upper lobe 1.5–2 mm (0.059–0.079 in) long. The petals are 10–12 mm (0.39–0.47 in) long, form a tube 6–7 mm (0.24–0.28 in) long, and are violet to mid-purple and white with orange and dark purple dots inside the tube. The lower lip of the petal tube has three lobes, the centre lobe spatula-shaped, 2.5–5 mm (0.098–0.197 in) long and 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) wide and the side lobes 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) long and 3–3.5 mm (0.12–0.14 in) wide. The upper lip is egg-shaped, 3–6 mm (0.12–0.24 in) long and 7–12 mm (0.28–0.47 in) wide with a central notch 0.5–2.5 mm (0.020–0.098 in) deep. Flowering occurs from September to November. [3] [4]

Taxonomy

Prostanthera eurybioides was first formally described in 1855 by Ferdinand von Mueller in his book Definitions of rare or hitherto undescribed Australian plants. [5] [6]

Distribution and habitat

Monarto mintbush grows amongst granite outcrops in mallee woodland in the Monarto and Mount Monster areas. [4] [7]

Conservation status

This mintbush is classified as "endangered" under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the Government of South Australia National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 . The main threats to the species are land clearing, quarry operation at Mount Monster, weed invasion, illegal rubbish dumping, trampling by walkers, and trail bike damage. [7]

Related Research Articles

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

Prostanthera ovalifolia, commonly known as the oval-leaf mintbush or purple mintbush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It is an erect shrub with egg-shaped leaves and groups of mauve to deep blue-purple flowers arranged in groups at the ends of branchlets.

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

Prostanthera magnifica, commonly known as magnificent prostanthera, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a slender to spreading, erect shrub that has hairy stems, elliptical to narrow egg-shaped leaves and pale mauve or pale blue to pink flowers with prominent dark mauve to purple sepals.

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

Prostanthera stenophylla is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to Wollemi National Park in New South Wales. It is an erect, slender, aromatic shrub with hairy, oblong leaves and small groups of pale bluish mauve to violet flowers.

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

Prostanthera striatiflora, commonly known as jockey's cap, striated mintbush or striped mintbush, is a species of flowering plant that is endemic to the more arid areas of Australia. It is an erect, aromatic shrub with narrow egg-shaped to narrow elliptic leaves and white flowers with purple lines inside the petal tube.

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

Prostanthera junonis, commonly known as Somersby mintbush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to the Central Coast of New South Wales. It is a low, straggling shrub with hairy, egg-shaped leaves and purple to mauve flowers.

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

Prostanthera ammophila, commonly known as sand mintbush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to southern areas of South Australia. It is an erect to spreading shrub with egg-shaped to narrow elliptical leaves and white and purple to mauve flowers with yellow spots inside.

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

Prostanthera behriana, commonly known as tall mintbush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to the south-east of South Australia. It is an erect to straggling shrub with egg-shaped leaves and white, pale blue, pale violet or purplish white flowers with red-brown spots or purple streaks inside.

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

Prostanthera campbellii is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with linear leaves and white to cream-coloured flowers with purple striations.

<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 carrickiana</i> Species of flowering plant

Prostanthera carrickiana, commonly known as Carrick's mintbush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to a restricted area in the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with hairy branchlets, elliptical leaves pinkish-red flowers.

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

Prostanthera chlorantha, commonly known as green mintbush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to the south-east of South Australia. It is a small shrub with small, broadly egg-shaped to round leaves and mauve, bluish green, or greenish red to greenish yellow flowers with a pink tinge.

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

Prostanthera eckersleyana, commonly known as crinkly mintbush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect or spreading shrub with sticky, hairy branchlets, egg-shaped to elliptical leaves and blue, mauve to purple or violet flowers with maroon spots inside the petal tube.

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

Prostanthera florifera, commonly known as Gawler Ranges mintbush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. It is a small shrub with densely hairy branches, thick, linear to narrow oblong leaves, and pinkish-red flowers that are pale pink with pinkish-red blotches inside the petal tube.

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

Prostanthera incurvata is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to the inland of Western Australia. It is a small, erect shrub with hairy branches, narrow oblong to narrow egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and pink to red, sometimes yellow flowers.

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

Prostanthera nanophylla is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a small shrub with hairy branches, egg-shaped to elliptic or narrow oblong leaves and mauve or blue to white flowers with dull brown, maroon or purple spots.

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

Prostanthera palustris, commonly known as swamp mint-bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to a restricted area of New South Wales. It is a low, spreading, weak shrub with spatula-shaped leaves and pale mauve and white flowers with yellow spots in the petal tube.

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

Prostanthera pedicellata is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to a restricted area of Western Australia. It is a small shrub with densely glandular branches, egg-shaped to oval leaves and red flowers.

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

Prostanthera petrophila is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a spreading shrub with densely hairy branches, narrow egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base and white flowers with violet striations in the petal tube.

<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 sericea</i> Species of flowering plant

Prostanthera sericea, commonly known as silky mintbush or walyuwalyu, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to inland Australia. It is an erect shrub with hairy branches, cylindrical leaves and white flowers with mauve or purple streaks.

References

  1. "Prostanthera eurybioides". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  2. "Prostanthera eurybioides (Labiatae) Monarto Mintbush". Seed Conservation Service of South Australia. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  3. Conn, Barry J. (1988). "A taxonomic revision of Prostanthera Labill. section Prostanthera (Labiatae). 1. The species of the Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia". Nuytsia. 6 (3): 392–395. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  4. 1 2 "Prostanthera eurybioides". State Herbarium of South Australia. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  5. "Prostanthera eurybioides". APNI. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  6. von Mueller, Ferdinand (1855). Definitions of rare or hitherto undescribed Australian plants. Melbourne: Goodhugh & Trembath. pp. 15–16. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  7. 1 2 Pound, Leanne; Obst, Chris; How, Trevor. "Recovery Plan for Prostanthera eurybioides (Monarto Mintbush)" (PDF). Australian Government Department of the Environment. Retrieved 31 August 2020.