| 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]
Seven species are currently 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]
Banksia sceptrum, commonly known as the sceptre banksia, is a plant that grows in Western Australia near the central west coast from Geraldton north through Kalbarri to Hamelin Pool. It extends inland almost to Mullewa. First collected and grown by early settler James Drummond in Western Australia, it was described by Swiss botanist Carl Meissner in 1855.
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 seminuda, commonly known as the river banksia, is a tree in the plant genus Banksia. It is found in southwest Western Australia from Dwellingup (32°42′ S) to the Broke Inlet east of Denmark (34°57′ S). It is often mistaken for, and was originally considered a subspecies of, the Banksia littoralis. Stephen Hopper described the subspecies remanens as a short-leaved shrubby form found in the coastal sands below granite outcrops in the Walpole-Nornalup National Park. However, George does not feel this form warrants taxonomic recognition as it lies within the normal variability of the species and there was no clear distinction between it and the other populations of B. seminuda.
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 tricuspis, commonly known as Lesueur banksia or pine banksia, is a plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to a small area in the south-west of Western Australia. It is a stunted tree or shrub with narrow leaves and cylindrical spikes of golden-coloured flowers and it occurs in a geographic range of just 15 square kilometres near Jurien.
Banksia verticillata, commonly known as granite banksia or Albany banksia, is a species of shrub or (rarely) tree of the genus Banksia in the family Proteaceae. It is native to the southwest of Western Australia and can reach up to 3 m (10 ft) in height. It can grow taller to 5 m (16 ft) in sheltered areas, and much smaller in more exposed areas. This species has elliptic green leaves and large, bright golden yellow inflorescences or flower spikes, appearing in summer and autumn. The New Holland honeyeater is the most prominent pollinator, although several other species of honeyeater, as well as bees, visit the flower spikes.
Banksia shuttleworthiana, commonly known as bearded dryandra, is a species of low, spreading shrub that is endemic to Western Australia. It has thin, woolly-hairy stems, linear pinnatisect leaves, creamy brown to purplish flowers in heads of about forty and later, only a few egg-shaped follicles in each head.
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.
Grevillea vestita is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is an erect, spreading, prickly shrub with lobed leaves, the number and arrangement of lobes depending on subspecies, and more or less spherical to dome-shaped clusters of hairy, white to cream-coloured flowers sometimes tinged with pink.
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.
Grevillea thyrsoides is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae, and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is a small, spreading or low-lying shrub, with pinnatisect to comb-like leaves, the end lobes linear, and clusters of hairy pinkish-red flowers.
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 species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae. It is endemic to Western Australia.
Stirlingia latifolia, commonly known as blueboy, is a species of flowering plant endemic to Western Australia.
Banksia spinulosa var. spinulosa is a shrub that grows along the east coast of Australia, in Queensland and New South Wales.
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.
Banksia tenuis var. tenuis is a variety of Banksia tenuis. It was known as Dryandra tenuifolia var. tenuifolia until 2007, when Austin Mast and Kevin Thiele sunk all Dryandra into Banksia. Since the name Banksia tenuifolia had already been used, Mast and Thiele had to choose a new specific epithet for D. tenuifolia and hence for this variety of it. As with other members of Banksia ser. Dryandra, it is endemic to the South West Botanical Province of Western Australia. As an autonym, it is defined as encompassing the type material of the species.
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. The Noongar peoples know the plant as boyur.
Grevillea teretifolia, commonly known as round leaf grevillea, is species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is an erect to spreading shrub with many stems, divided leaves, the end lobes sharply pointed and more or less cylindrical, and clusters of white or pale pink flowers.
Isopogon scabriusculus is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to southwestern Western Australia. It is a shrub with cylindrical, or narrow flat, sometimes forked leaves, and spherical to oval heads of pink or red flowers.
Media related to Stirlingia at Wikimedia Commons