Verticordia aurea

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Verticordia aurea
Status DECF P4.svg
Priority Four — Rare Taxa (DEC)
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Verticordia
Subgenus: Verticordia subg. Chrysoma
Section: Verticordia sect. Chrysorhoe
Species:
V. aurea
Binomial name
Verticordia aurea

Verticordia aurea, commonly known as buttercups is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a slender, sometimes bushy shrub with a single stem at the base, cylindrical leaves and heads of scented, golden-yellow flowers in spring.

Contents

Description

Verticordia aurea is a slender, sometimes bushy shrub with a single main stem and which grows to a height of 0.7–1.2 m (2–4 ft) and 15–45 cm (6–20 in) wide. The leaves are linear in shape, almost circular in cross-section and 10–30 mm (0.4–1 in) long, with those low on the branchlets longer than those nearer the flowers. The leaves have a pointed end. [2]

The flowers are scented and arranged in a corymb on the ends of the branches, each flower on a stalk 10–27 mm (0.4–1 in) long. The floral cup is shaped like half a sphere, 1.5–2 mm (0.06–0.08 in) long, has 10 ribs and a warty surface. The sepals are golden-yellow in colour, 3.5–4 mm (0.14–0.16 in) long, with 6 to 9 feather-like lobes. The petals are also golden-yellow, 4–4.5 mm (0.16–0.18 in) long and almost circular in shape with a serrated edge. The style is about 4 mm (0.2 in) long, straight and glabrous. Flowering time is from September to December. [2]

The species is closely allied to Verticordia nitens and V. patens , the three members of Verticordia sect. Chrysorhoe, from which it is most easily distinguished by its larger, more deeply yellow or golden flowers.

Taxonomy and naming

Verticordia aurea was first formally described by Alex George in 1991 and the description was published in Nuytsia from specimens collected south of Eneabba. [1] [3] The specific epithet (aurea) is derived from the Latin word aurum meaning "gold" [4] referring to the colour of the flowers. [2]

George placed this species in subgenus Chrysoma, section Chrysorhoe along with V. patens and V. nitens . [3]

Distribution and habitat

This verticordia grows in deep sand, usually in association with other verticordias, in heath, shrubland or woodland with Eucalyptus todtiana , Banksia menziesii and Xylomelum angustifolium . [2] It is known from scattered areas between Eneabba, Lake Indoon and the Green Head - Coorow Road, within 30 km (20 mi) of Eneabba in the Geraldton Sandplains biogeographic region. [5] [6]

Ecology

The flowers are not attractive to typical insect pollinators, except for a single species of solitary bee Euryglossa aureophila (Colletidae), previously Euhesma aureophila, [7] which feeds on nectar, pollen, and the oil released from the anthers. [8]

Conservation

Verticordia argentea is classified as "Priority Four" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife, [5] meaning that is rare or near threatened. [9]

Use in horticulture

In cultivation V. aurea is a bushy shrub with colourful flowers, making it an attractive garden plant, but it has proven difficult to grow, except in Western Australia in deep sand in an open sunny location. In other conditions it is susceptible to fungal attack. It can be propagated from cuttings. [2]

Related Research Articles

<i>Verticordia nitens</i> Species of flowering plant

Verticordia nitens, commonly known as Christmas Morrison and other names, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. The Noongar peoples know the plant as kotyeningara. It is an upright shrub with glistening and perfumed flower heads that appear between October and February. The small compact and erect flowers have been noted for their beauty. Although it occurs in areas near Perth, Morrison featherflower is not classed as rare or endangered because it still occurs in large populations, although its numbers have undoubtedly been reduced as a result of urban development.

<i>Verticordia eriocephala</i> Species of flowering plant

Verticordia eriocephala, commonly known as lambswool, and common, native or wild cauliflower is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with one densely branching, spreading main stem, small leaves and dense heads of creamy-white flowers, giving rise to the common names "lambswool" and "cauliflower". It is widespread over its range but becoming less common because of land clearing and illegal collecting of the flowers.

Verticordia amphigia commonly known as pixie ears is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is usually an open, much-branched shrub with narrow leaves and yellow flowers which sometimes produce a "sea" of colour in the wild. The flowers are surrounded by boat-shaped bracteoles which give the plant both its common and scientific names.

Verticordia argentea is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, open shrub with almost circular leaves and scented, pink and white flowers. It usually grows in sand and is found near Eneabba.

Verticordia bifimbriata is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an open shrub with small leaves and spikes of pink flowers.

Verticordia patens is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with linear, pointed leaves and faintly scented, pale yellow flowers in open heads on the ends of the branches. It is fairly common in a small area south of Badgingarra.

<i>Verticordia halophila</i> Species of flowering plant

Verticordia halophila, commonly known as salt-loving featherflower, or salt-loving verticordia, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, bushy shrub with small, crowded, thick leaves and spikes of red and pink flowers in spring.

<i>Verticordia <span style="font-style:normal;">sect.</span> Chrysorhoe</i> Group of shrubs

Verticordia sect. Chrysorhoe is a section that describes three shrub species in the genus Verticordia. The section is one of seven in the subgenus, Verticordia subg. Chrysoma. The three species in this section are inflexible, upright shrubs usually no taller than 2 m (7 ft). They have needle-like leaves and their flowers are arranged corymb-like, sometimes densely on the ends of the branches. The flowers are orange, gold-coloured or yellow and the petals have toothed margins, the anthers have a flattened, swollen appendage and the staminodes are narrow.

<i>Verticordia cooloomia</i> Species of flowering plant

Verticordia cooloomia, commonly known as Cooloomia verticordia, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an open, spreading shrub with large heads of sharply scented yellow flowers and is only known from areas in and near to the Cooloomia Nature Reserve, near the Murchison River.

<i>Verticordia fastigiata</i> Species of flowering plant

Verticordia fastigiata, commonly known as mouse featherflower, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a prostrate or low shrub with small, club-shaped leaves and mouse-scented flowers which vary in colour from golden-yellow and orange to dark red.

Verticordia centipeda is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with a single stem at the base, small crowded leaves and greenish-pink flowers with a silvery fringe, in spike-like groups on the ends of the branches. It is common in areas around Geraldton.

Verticordia dasystylis is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small shrub, with many stems at its base, oblong leaves and scented, fluffy, yellow and white flowers. There are three subspecies, each of which has a priority conservation status.

Verticordia fragrans, commonly known as hollyhock verticordia, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an openly branched shrub with egg-shaped leaves and spikes of sweetly scented, pink and white flowers in spring and early summer.

Verticordia integra, commonly known as plastic verticordia, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with only a few branches, with very thick oblong to egg-shaped leaves and heads of shiny golden-coloured flowers in late spring.

<i>Verticordia laciniata</i> Species of flowering plant

Verticordia laciniata is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an openly branched shrub with linear, slightly hairy leaves and heads of scented, bright yellow flowers which turn red then bronze-coloured as they age.

Verticordia luteola is a flowering plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a more or less openly branched shrub with crowded leaves on its side branches and spikes of pale yellow or bright pink flowers which turn cream to brownish as they age. This verticordia is a summer-flowering species.

Verticordia minutiflora is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a bushy shrub with small, crowded, cylindrical leaves and groups of white to pale pink flowers in summer and autumn. As suggested by its botanical name, it has the smallest flowers of any verticordia.

Verticordia mitodes is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with a single, highly-branched main stem, small leaves and small spikes of magenta-coloured flowers in late spring.

Verticordia polytricha, commonly known as northern cauliflower, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, bushy shrub with linear leaves and dense heads of white flowers in late spring and summer.

Verticordia vicinella is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with narrow leaves and groups of small, scented, pink or pale yellow flowers, growing near Esperance and in the Cape Arid National Park.

References

  1. 1 2 "Verticordia aurea". APNI.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Elizabeth A. (Berndt) George; Margaret Pieroni (illustrator) (2002). Verticordia: the turner of hearts (1st ed.). Crawley, Western Australia: University of Western Australia Press. pp. 168–169. ISBN   1-876268-46-8.
  3. 1 2 George, Alex (1991). "New taxa, combinations and typifications in Verticordia (Myrtaceae : Chamelaucieae)". Nuytsia. 7 (3): 231–394.
  4. Moore, Bruce, ed. (2002). The Australian Oxford Dictionary (1999 ed.). South Melbourne, Vic.: Oxford University Press. p. 82. ISBN   0195507932.
  5. 1 2 "Verticordia aurea". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  6. Corrick, Margaret G.; Fuhrer, Bruce A. (2009). Wildflowers of southern Western Australia (3rd ed.). Kenthurst, N.S.W.: Rosenberg Publishing. p. 138. ISBN   9781877058844.
  7. Houston, Terry F. (1992). "Three new, monolectic species of Euryglossa (Euhesma) from Western Australia (Hymenoptera: Colletidae)". Records of the Western Australian Museum. 15 (4): 719–728.
  8. Houston, TF; Lamont, BB; Radford, S; Errington, SG (1993). "Apparent mutualism between Verticordia nitens and V. aurea (Myrtaceae) and Their Oil-Ingesting Bee Pollinators (Hymenoptera, Colletidae)". Australian Journal of Botany. 41 (3): 369–380. doi:10.1071/BT9930369.
  9. "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 25 May 2016.