Prostanthera ovalifolia

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Oval-leaf mintbush
Prostanthera ovalifolia Eastwood.jpg
Prostanthera ovalifolia at Eastwood, New South Wales
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. ovalifolia
Binomial name
Prostanthera ovalifolia
Prostanthera ovalifoliaDistA64.png
Occurrence data from AVH
Synonyms [1]
  • Prostanthera ovalifoliaR.Br. var. ovalifolia
  • Prostanthera incisaauct. non Benth. in Stanley, T.D. & Ross, E.M. (1986)

Prostanthera ovalifolia, commonly known as the oval-leaf mintbush or purple mintbush, [2] 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.

Contents

Description

Prostanthera ovalifolia is an erect, spreading to dense shrub that typically grows to a height of 1–4 m (3 ft 3 in – 13 ft 1 in) with stems that are square in cross-section and are moderately hairy. The leaves are egg-shaped, a lighter shade of green on the lower surface, 5–50 mm (0.20–1.97 in) long and 3–12 mm (0.12–0.47 in) wide on a petiole 1–6 mm (0.039–0.236 in) long. The flowers are arranged in groups at the ends of the branchlets with bracteoles 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) long and 0.2–0.3 mm (0.0079–0.0118 in) at the base, but that fall off as the flowers develop. The sepals are 2–3.5 mm (0.079–0.138 in) long and form a tube 1–2.5 mm (0.039–0.098 in) long with two lobes, the lower lobe 0.5–1.5 mm (0.020–0.059 in) long. The petals are mauve to deep blue-purple and fused to form a tube 6–18 mm (0.24–0.71 in) long. Flowering occurs from August to November. [2] [3]

Taxonomy

Prostanthera ovalifolia was first formally described in 1810 by Robert Brown in his book Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen . [4] [5]

Distribution and habitat

Oval-leaf mintbush is widespread in forest growing on sandstone in south-eastern Queensland and eastern New South Wales. It is also sporadically naturalised in the eastern half of Victoria. [2] [3]

Use in horticulture

This mintbush is widely cultivated as a garden shrub where it typically grows to a height of about 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in). It grows best in a well-drained soil with some protection from direct summer sun. It should be pruned back by about one third to retain its bushy shape. [6]

Related Research Articles

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Prostanthera incisa, commonly known as cut-leaf mint-bush or native thyme, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It is an erect, strongly aromatic, openly branched shrub with hairy, densely glandular branches, egg-shaped to oblong leaves, and pale mauve to mauve flowers.

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

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

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

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<i>Westringia glabra</i> Species of shrub

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

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

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

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

Prostanthera saxicola is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a shrub with linear to elliptic leaves and white to mauve flowers arranged in leaf axils.

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

Prostanthera serpyllifolia, commonly known as small-leaved mint-bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to southern Australia. It is a small shrub with small egg-shaped leaves and bright pink to red or metallic bluish-green flowers.

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

Prostanthera caerulea, commonly known as lilac mint bush, is a species of flowering plant that is endemic to eastern Australia. It is an erect shrub with narrow egg-shaped leaves that have toothed edges, and white to bluish mauve flowers arranged on the ends of branchlets.

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

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

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

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<i>Westringia longifolia</i> Species of shrub

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<i>Westringia angustifolia</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Leucopogon collinus</i> Species of plant

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<i>Styphelia deformis</i> Species of plant

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<i>Leucopogon glabellus</i> Species of shrub

Leucopogon glabellus is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, glabrous shrub with slender branchlets, heart-shaped to lance-shaped leaves, and cylindrical spikes of white flowers.

<i>Brachyloma ciliatum</i> Species of plant

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References

  1. 1 2 "Prostanthera ovalifolia". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 Conn, Barry J. "Prostanthera ovalifolia". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  3. 1 2 Ohlsen, Daniel; Stajsic, Val. "Prostanthera ovalifolia". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  4. "Prostanthera ovalifolia". APNI. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  5. Brown, Robert (1810). Prodromus florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van-Diemen. London: Typis R Taylor, veneunt apud J. Johnson,1810. p. 509. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  6. "Prostanthera ovalifolia". Australian Native Plants Society (Australia). Retrieved 20 August 2020.