| Blueboy | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Stirlingia latifolia flowering | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Proteales |
| Family: | Proteaceae |
| Subfamily: | Proteoideae |
| Tribe: | Conospermeae |
| Subtribe: | Stirlingiinae L.A.S.Johnson & B.G.Briggs |
| Genus: | Stirlingia Endl. |
| Species | |
7 species; see text. | |
Stirlingia, commonly known as blueboy, is a genus of 7 species in the family Proteaceae, all of which are endemic to Western Australia.
Stirlingia grows as a shrub or herb arising from a perennial tap root or woody root stock; the herbaceous nature of some species is unique to Stirlingia among the Proteaceae. They grow to heights ranging from 10 centimetres to 1.5 metres. Leaves are soft and leathery, and bifurcated along their length. They occur mostly on lower parts of the stems. Flowers occur in inflorescences that are either heads or very short spikes. [1] [2]
The genus was first published by Robert Brown in 1810, under the name Simsia. Brown initially published two species, Simsia anethifolia and Simsia tenuifolia, adding a third, Simsia latifolia in 1830. It was later discovered that Brown's generic name was illegal, as the name Simsia had already been published in 1807 by Christian Hendrik Persoon. Therefore, in 1838 Stephan Endlicher published a new name for the genus. He chose the name Stirlingia, in honour of James Stirling, explorer of the Swan River and first Governor of Western Australia. [3]
Despite publishing a new name for the genus, Endlicher omitted to formally transfer Brown's three species. In 1838, John Lindley published two more names, Stirlingia paniculata and Stirlingia simplex . Two years later Endlicher transferred Simsia anethifolia to Stirlingia anethifolia , and Ernst Steudel transferred the other two of Brown's species, as Stirlingia latifolia and Stirlingia tenuifolia . [3]
Two more species, Stirlingia abrotanoides and Stirlingia teretifolia , were published by Carl Meissner in 1845. In 1848, some confusion was caused by an orthographic error in a work of Endlicher's, referring to Stirlingia anethifolia as Stirlingia acutifolia. Also that year, Meissner published an eighth species, Stirlingia affinis. He continued to publish new species publishing Stirlingia capillifolia in 1855, and Stirlingia intricata in 1856. [3]
In 1870, George Bentham published a treatment of the Stirlingia in his Flora Australiensis , reducing the number of species to five, plus one variety: S. simplex, S. abrotanoides, S. teretifolia, S. tenuifolia, S. tenuifolia var. anethifolia, and S. latifolia. Fourteen years later, Ferdinand von Mueller somewhat disrupted the nomenclature of the genus by proposing to revert to the name Simsia, publishing Simsia abrotanoides, Simsia teretifolia and Simsia simplex for the first time. This was accepted as late as 1921, when Carl Ostenfeld published a further variety under Simsia, Simsia latifolia var. gracilis. In 1923, however, Karel Domin published a new species under Stirlingia as Stirlingia seselifolia . [3]
In 1995, Alex George published a thorough treatment of the Stirlingia for the Flora of Australia series of monographs. He reduced numerous names to synonymy, and published a further new species, Stirlingia divaricatissima . [3]
As a result, only seven species are now recognised:
| Image | Scientific name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Stirlingia abrotanoides | Wheatbelt region of Western Australia. | |
| Stirlingia anethifolia | Western Australia | |
| Stirlingia divaricatissima | Western Australia. | |
 | Stirlingia latifolia | Southwest Botanical Province, ranging from Kalbarri in the north, south to Albany |
| Stirlingia seselifolia | South West and Great Southern regions of Western Australia | |
 | Stirlingia simplex | Southwest Botanic Province of Western Australia |
| Stirlingia tenuifolia | Western Australia. | |
No infrageneric arrangement has been proffered. [2]
This genus is placed alone in subtribe Stirlingiinae, within the tribe Conospermeae of the subfamily Proteoideae. [4]
The common name Blueboy is used sometimes for the genus, but most often refers to the species S. latifolia . The name comes from the fact that wall plaster turns blue if made using sand taken from where S. latifolia occurs. [5]
They are endemic to the Southwest Botanical Province of Western Australia. They occur in a range of soil types, including sand, clay, and laterite; most species prefer low-lying areas that are seasonally wet. [1]
Although none of the species are declared rare, S. divaricatissima has been declared "Priority Three - Poorly Known Taxa" on the Department of Environment and Conservation's Declared Rare and Priority Flora List. [6]
Xylomelum is a genus of six species of flowering plants, often commonly known as woody pears, in the family Proteaceae and are endemic to Australia. Plants in this genus are tall shrubs or small trees with leaves arranged in opposite pairs, relatively small flowers arranged in spike-like groups, and the fruit a woody, more or less pear-shaped follicle.
Banksia nutans, commonly known as nodding banksia, is a species of shrub native to the south coast of Western Australia in the genus Banksia. Growing to a metre (3 ft) tall, it has pale blue-green fine-leaved foliage and unusual purple-brown inflorescences which hang upside down rather than grow upright like most other banksias.
Banksia sphaerocarpa, commonly known as the fox banksia or round-fruit banksia, is a species of shrub or tree in the plant genus Banksia. It is generally encountered as a 1–2 m (3.3–6.6 ft) high shrub, and is usually smaller in the north of its range. This species has narrow green leaves, and brownish, orange or yellow round flower spikes which may be seen from January to July. It is widely distributed across the southwest of Western Australia, growing exclusively in sandy soils. It is usually the dominant plant in scrubland or low woodland. It is pollinated by, and is a food source for, birds, mammals, and insects.
Banksia tenuis is a species of shrub that is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It has pinnatifid, serrated or smooth-edges leaves, golden brown and cream-coloured flowers in heads of about fifty-five and glabrous, egg-shaped follicles.
Robert Brown's taxonomic arrangement of Dryandra was the first arrangement of what is now Banksia ser. Dryandra. His initial arrangement was published in 1810, and a further arrangement, including an infrageneric classification, followed in 1830. Aspects of Brown's arrangements can be recognised in the later arrangements of George Bentham and Alex George.
Banksia spinulosa var. collina is a shrub that grows along the east coast of Australia, in Queensland and New South Wales. Commonly known as Hill Banksia or Golden Candlesticks, it is a taxonomic variety of B. spinulosa. It is a popular garden plant widely sold in nurseries.
Stirlingia simplex is a plant endemic to Western Australia.
Stirlingia latifolia, commonly known as blueboy, is a plant endemic to Western Australia.
Acidonia microcarpa is a species of shrub in the plant family Proteaceae. It is the only species in the genus Acidonia. It is endemic to the south coast of the Southwest Botanic Province of Western Australia.
Adenanthos × cunninghamii, commonly known as woollybush, Albany woollybush or prostrate woollybush, is a hybrid shrub in the family Proteaceae. It is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia.
Persoonia falcata, commonly known as the wild pear, is a shrub native to northern Australia.
Grevillea insignis, commonly known as wax grevillea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, bushy shrub with more or less oblong leaves with seven to seventeen sharply-pointed, triangular teeth, and more or less spherical or cylindrical clusters of cream-coloured flowers ageing to pink.
Persoonia spathulata is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect to spreading shrub with hairy young branchlets, spatula-shaped leaves, and yellow flowers arranged singly or in pairs on a rachis up to 2 mm (0.079 in) long that continues to grow after flowering.
Persoonia trinervis is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, sometimes spreading shrub with densely hairy young branchlets, spatula-shaped or lance-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and densely hairy yellow flowers.
Persoonia papillosa is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to a restricted area in the west of Western Australia. It is a small, erect shrub with hairy young branchlets, linear leaves with six prominent parallel veins, and hairy flowers borne in groups of up to twenty on a rachis up to 60 mm (2.4 in) long.
Persoonia sulcata is a plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small, erect or low spreading shrub with narrow, linear leaves and cylindrical yellow flowers arranged singly or in groups of up to three in leaf axils. It grows in woodland or on rocky slopes and is found in several disjunct populations.
Persoonia teretifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, spreading shrub with smooth bark, hairy young branchlets, linear leaves, and bright yellow flowers borne in groups of up to twenty on a rachis up to 100 mm (3.9 in) long that continues to grow after flowering.
Persoonia hakeiformis is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect or spreading to low-lying shrub with mostly smooth bark, linear leaves and bright yellow flowers borne in groups of up to sixty along a rachis up to 100 mm (3.9 in) long.
Grevillea coccinea is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is a low-lying or sprawling shrub with narrowly wedge-shaped to linear leaves and white, cream-coloured, and red or yellow flowers.
Media related to Stirlingia at Wikimedia Commons