Prostanthera stenophylla

Last updated

Prostanthera stenophylla
Prostanthera stenophylla.jpg
In Maranoa Gardens
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. stenophylla
Binomial name
Prostanthera stenophylla
Prostanthera stenophyllaDistA93.png
Occurrence data from AVH
Synonyms

Prostanthera sp. Rylstone

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.

Contents

Description

Prostanthera stenophylla is an erect, slender shrub that typically grows to a height of 1.5–2 m (4 ft 11 in – 6 ft 7 in) and has leaves that are covered with a dense mat of hairs and give off a strong aroma when crushed. The leaves are narrow egg-shaped to narrow elliptic but appear oblong due to the edge being curved downwards or rolled under. They are dull green above, paler below, 7–14 mm (0.28–0.55 in) long and 1.5–2 mm (0.059–0.079 in) wide on a very short petiole. The flowers are arranged in groups of four to six on short side shoots in leaf axils, with bracteoles 2–2.5 mm (0.079–0.098 in) long at the base of the sepals. The sepals are 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long forming a tube 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) long with two lobes, the upper lobe 1.5–2 mm (0.059–0.079 in) long. The petals are pale bluish mauve to violet, 8–12 mm (0.31–0.47 in) long, the lower middle lobe 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long and wide, the lower lobes 3–3.8 mm (0.12–0.15 in) long and wide and the upper lobe about 4 mm (0.16 in) long and 8.5–10 mm (0.33–0.39 in) wide with a central notch 2.5–3 mm (0.098–0.118 in) deep. Flowering occurs in most months with a peak flowering in spring. [2] [3]

Taxonomy

Prostanthera stenophylla was first formally described by Barry Conn of the National Herbarium of New South Wales in the journal Telopea in 2006 from specimens collected near Dunns Swamp in 1996. [3] [4] He held it to be allied to the granite mintbush ( Prostanthera granitica ). The latter species is similar in appearance but has stiffer, rougher hairs and broader leaves. [3]

The first recorded collection of plant material from the type locality was by nurseryman George Althofer in 1952. A 1937 collection by Lindsay Pryor is recognised as this species, but the given locality of "Canberra district" is believed to be incorrect. The specific epithet (stenophylla) refers to the narrow leaves of this shrub species. [3]

Distribution and habitat

This mintbush is only known from the Wollemi National Park where it is found in sclerophyll forest dominated by black cypress pine ( Callitris endlicheri ), snappy gum ( Eucalyptus rossii ) and Sydney peppermint ( E. piperita ), growing in sandstone outcrops that are colloquially known as 'pagodas'. [2] [3]

Use in horticulture

This species has been in limited cultivation for some years. The unofficial name of Prostanthera rylstonii has been used by plant nurseries since at least 2005. [3]

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 cryptandroides</i> Species of flowering plant

Prostanthera cryptandroides is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a low, spreading shrub with narrow egg-shaped leaves and lilac to mauve flowers arranged singly in leaf axils.

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

Prostanthera marifolia, commonly known as Seaforth mintbush, is a species of flowering plant that is endemic to a restricted area of New South Wales. It is a small, erect, openly branched shrub with egg-shaped to elliptic leaves, and purple to mauve flowers arranged in leaf axils.

<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 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 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 askania</i> Species of shrub

Prostanthera askania, commonly known as tranquility mintbush, is a shrub that is endemic to Australia. It has mostly pale mauve flowers, strongly scented leaves and branches, dull green, toothed egg-shaped leaves and a restricted distribution.

<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 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 lanceolata</i> Species of flowering plant

Prostanthera lanceolata is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to near-coastal area of eastern Australia. It is an erect, aromatic shrub that has stems that are square in cross-section, glandular, egg-shaped leaves and mauve or deep bluish-purple flowers.

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

Prostanthera makinsonii is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to a restricted area of New South Wales. It is a spreading shrub with strongly aromatic, egg-shaped leaves and mostly glabrous purple flowers arranged in bunches of eight to twelve in upper leaf axils.

<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 prunelloides</i> Species of flowering plant

Prostanthera prunelloides is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to eastern New South Wales. It is a shrub with four-ridged branches, egg-shaped to round leaves and white or pale mauve flowers.

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

Prostanthera tallowa is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to the Kangaroo Valley area of New South Wales. It is an erect, aromatic shrub with narrow egg-shaped to linear leaves and mauve to light purple flowers with darker dots inside the petal tube.

<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 stenophylla". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  2. 1 2 "Prostanthera stenophylla". PlantNET - New South Wales Flora Online. Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney Australia. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Conn, Barry J. (2006). "New species of Prostanthera section Prostanthera (Labiatae) from New South Wales". Telopea. 11 (3): 252–59.
  4. "Prostanthera stenophylla". APNI. Retrieved 2 October 2020.