Prostanthera hirtula

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Hairy mintbush
Prost.hirtula-atlas-1.jpg
In Grampians 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. hirtula
Binomial name
Prostanthera hirtula
Prostanthera hirtulaDistA42.png
Occurrence data from AVH
Synonyms [1]
  • Prostanthera hirtulaF.Muell. nom. inval., nom. nud.
  • Prostanthera hirtula var. angustifoliaBenth.
  • Prostanthera hirtula var. hirtulaF.Muell. ex Benth.

Prostanthera hirtula, commonly known as hairy mintbush, [2] 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.

Contents

Description

Prostanthera hirtula is a strongly aromatic, densely hairy, spreading shrub that grows to a height of 0.4–2 m (1 ft 4 in – 6 ft 7 in) and is covered in more or less spreading hairs. The leaves are mid-green, narrow egg-shaped to narrow elliptic, densely glandular on the lower surface, 10–30 mm (0.39–1.18 in) long and 1.5–6 mm (0.059–0.236 in) wide on a petiole 0.5–2 mm (0.020–0.079 in) long. The flowers are borne in leaf axils near the ends of branchlets with bracteoles about 2 mm (0.079 in) long at the base. The sepals are 5–7 mm (0.20–0.28 in) long, forming a tube about 3 mm (0.12 in) long with two lobes, the upper lobe 2–4 mm (0.079–0.157 in) long. The petals are dark mauve and 8–10 mm (0.31–0.39 in) long. Flowering occurs in spring. [2] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

Prostanthera hirtula was first formally described in 1870 by George Bentham from an unpublished description by Ferdinand von Mueller, based on specimens collected at Mount Buffalo and Mount Disappointment by Mueller and in the Grampians by Carl Wilhelmi. Bentham's description was published in Flora Australiensis . [4] [5]

Distribution and habitat

Hairy mintbush grows on elevated, rocky sites in woodland and open forest in New South Wales from the Blue Mountains to the Budawang Range and in southern Victoria. [2] [3]

Related Research Articles

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

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

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

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

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<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 linearis</i> Species of flowering plant

Prostanthera linearis, commonly known as narrow-leaved mint-bush is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is an erect, faintly aromatic shrub with glabrous, narrow egg-shaped to linear leaves and white flowers that are often tinged with pinkish-mauve.

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

Prostanthera decussata, commonly known as dense mintbush, 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.

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

Prostanthera spinosa, commonly known as spiny mintbush, is a shrub that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has mauve to white flowers, spiny stems and aromatic foliage.

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

Prostanthera staurophylla, commonly known as Tenterfield mint-bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to a small area on the New England Tableland of New South Wales. It is an erect to spreading, strongly aromatic shrub with hairy branches, deeply lobed leaves and bluish-mauve flowers with darker markings.

<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 baxteri</i> Species of flowering plant

Prostanthera baxteri is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to the south-east of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with narrow egg-shaped to linear leaves and white flowers with a tinge of blue to pale mauve.

<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 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

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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 rugosa</i> Species of flowering plant

Prostanthera rugosa is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to a restricted area of New South Wales. It is an openly-branched shrub with egg-shaped or narrow egg-shaped, thick, fleshy leaves and mauve flowers with a white tinge arranged in leaf axils near the ends of branchlets.

<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.

References

  1. 1 2 "Prostanthera hirtula". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 Conn, Barry J. "Prostanthera hirtula". National Herbarium of NSW, Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  3. 1 2 Conn, Barry J. "Prostanthera hirtula". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  4. "Prostanthera hindii". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  5. Bentham, George; von Mueller, Ferdinand (1870). Flora Australiensis. Vol. 5. London: Lovell Reeve & Co. p. 97. Retrieved 2 September 2020.