Prostanthera galbraithiae

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Wellington mint-bush
Prostanthera galbraithiae.jpg
In Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria
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. galbraithiae
Binomial name
Prostanthera galbraithiae
Prostanthera galbraithiaeDistA37.png
Occurrence data from AVH

Prostanthera galbraithiae, commonly known as Wellington mint-bush, [2] is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to Victoria in Australia. It is an erect or spreading shrub with densely hairy branches that are more or less square in cross-section, narrow egg-shaped or oblong leaves with the edges rolled under, and deep mauve to purple flowers with maroon dots inside the petal tube.

Contents

Description

Prostanthera galbraithiae is an erect or spreading shrub that typically grows to a height of 0.1–2 m (3.9 in – 6 ft 6.7 in) and has densely hairy branches that are more or less square in cross-section. It has mid-green, narrow egg-shaped or oblong leaves that are aromatic when crushed, 8–15 mm (0.31–0.59 in) long, up to 2 mm (0.079 in) wide and sessile. The flowers are arranged in 8 to 24 leaf axils near the ends of the branchlets, each flower on a pedicel 1.5–3 mm (0.059–0.118 in) long. The sepals are green on the upper surface, maroon below and form a tube 2–2.5 mm (0.079–0.098 in) long with two lobes 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) long. The petals are 7–10 mm (0.28–0.39 in) long, deep-mauve to purple with maroon spots in the centre and form a tube 3–3.5 mm (0.12–0.14 in) long with two lips. The lower lip has three lobes, the central lobe 4–4.5 mm (0.16–0.18 in) long and 3.5–5 mm (0.14–0.20 in) wide and the side lobes 3.5–4 mm (0.14–0.16 in) long and 3–3.5 mm (0.12–0.14 in) wide. The upper lobe is 3.5–5 mm (0.14–0.20 in) long and 6.5–7 mm (0.26–0.28 in) wide. Flowering occurs from September to October. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy

Prostanthera galbraithiae was first formally described by botanist Barry Conn in 1998 in the journal Telopea . [5] The specific epithet is named for Jean Galbraith, a member of the Latrobe Valley Field Naturalists, who co-discovered the species and advocated for its protection. [3]

Distribution and habitat

Wellington mint-bush occurs on sandy soils over clay on the Gippsland plains in Holey Plains State Park. It is associated with Eucalyptus obliqua woodland with a heathy understorey including species such as Acacia oxycedrus , Epacris impressa , Lepidosperma concavum , Leptospermum myrsinoides and Platylobium obtusangulum . [3]

Conservation status

This species is classified as "vulnerable" under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 , as "threatened" under the Victorian Government Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 . [2] [6] The main threats to the species include inappropriate fire regimes, firebreak maintenance, herbicide use and competition from bracken fern Pteridium esculentum . [2] It can become locally common after fire. [3] Fire intervals of less than 10 years may limit soil seed bank replenishment, and fire intervals greater than 20 years may diminish seedbank persistence. Low fire intensity may also limit germination of soil stored seed. [6]

Related Research Articles

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

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

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

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

Prostanthera densa, commonly known as villous mint-bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to near-coastal areas of New South Wales. It is an erect, often compact shrub with aromatic branches, egg-shaped leaves, and mauve flowers with orange markings inside.

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

Prostanthera discolor is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to a small area of New South Wales. It is an open, erect, strongly aromatic shrub with lance-shaped to oblong leaves, and deep mauve to purple flowers with darker spots inside.

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

Prostanthera eungella is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to the Eungella region in Queensland. It is an erect shrub with narrow egg-shaped leaves with small teeth, and mauve flowers that are white inside the petal tube and arranged in upper leaf axils.

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

Prostanthera gilesii is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to the Mount Canobolas area of New South Wales. It is a small, compact, spreading shrub with aromatic, narrow egg-shaped to elliptical leaves, and white to yellowish white flowers with purple to dark mauve markings inside the petal tube and pale orange markings on the petal lobes.

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

Prostanthera hindii is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to the Central Tablelands of New South Wales. It is a small, erect shrub with densely hairy branches, egg-shaped leaves, and mauve flowers with deep mauve to dark purple colouration inside the petal tube.

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

Prostanthera mulliganensis, commonly known as Mount Mulligan prostanthera, is a species of flowering plant that is endemic to Mount Mulligan in Queensland. It is a small shrub with hairy branchlets, oblong to egg-shaped leaves and mauve flowers with purple to dark mauve markings.

<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 oleoides</i> Species of flowering plant

Prostanthera oleoides is a species of flowering plant that is endemic to central Queensland. It is an open, erect shrub with four-sided branchlets, narrow elliptic, oblong or egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and mauve flowers with purple to dark mauve markings.

<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 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 tozerana</i> Species of flowering plant

Prostanthera tozerana is a species of flowering plant that is endemic to Mount Tozer in Queensland. It is a small, compact shrub with hairy branchlets, thick egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and pale purplish-mauve flowers.

References

  1. "Prostanthera galbraithiae". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Carter, Oberon; Neville Walsh. "National Recovery Plan for the Wellington Mint-bush Prostanthera galbraithiae" (PDF). Department of Sustainability and Environment. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Conn, Barry J. (29 May 1998). "Contributions to the systematics of Prostanthera (Labiatae) in south-eastern Australia". Telopea. 7 (4): 321–323. doi: 10.7751/telopea19982003 .
  4. Conn, Barry J. "Prostanthera galbraithiae". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  5. "Prostanthera galbraithiae". APNI. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  6. 1 2 "Action Statement - Wellington mint bush (Prostanthera galbraithiae)" (PDF). Victorian Government Department of Sustainability and Environment. Retrieved 6 September 2023.