Verticordia brachypoda

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Verticordia brachypoda
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. Verticordia
Section: Verticordia sect. Pilocosta
Species:
V. brachypoda
Binomial name
Verticordia brachypoda
Synonyms [2]
  • Verticordia stylotricha Diels

Verticordia brachypoda is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an irregularly branched shrub with narrow leaves crowded on side-branches, and cream-coloured or white flowers with pink, cream or white centres.

Contents

Description

Verticordia brachypoda is an irregularly branched shrub with a single stem at the base and which grows to a height of .20–1.5 m (0.7–5 ft) and a width of 15–1.2 cm (6–0.5 in). Its leaves are mostly crowded on short side branches, 2–8 mm (0.08–0.3 in) long, linear to lance-shaped, almost circular in cross-section and have a blunt end. Leaves near the flowers are slightly wider than those further down the branches. [3]

The flowers are scented and arranged in rounded groups near the ends of the branches, each flower on a stalk 5–13 mm (0.2–0.5 in) long. The floral cup is shaped like half a sphere, 2.8–3.5 mm (0.11–0.14 in) long, and has 10 ribs, is more or less smooth but hairy near the top. The sepals are white, cream or pale pink, 5.0–5.5 mm (0.20–0.22 in) long, and have 2 to 4 lobes with long, thread-like edges. The petals are broadly egg-shaped, pink, cream-coloured or white, 3.2–4 mm (0.13–0.16 in) long, with a fringe of long, thread-like hairs. The style is 4–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and covered with hairs over most of its length. Flowering time is from October to December. [3]

Taxonomy and naming

Verticordia brachypoda was first formally described by Nikolai Turczaninow in 1847. The description was published in Bulletin de la Société impériale des naturalistes de Moscou from specimens collected by James Drummond. [1] [4] In 1904, Ludwig Diels described Verticordia stylotricha but that is now described as a taxonomic synonym. The specific epithet brachypoda is derived from the ancient Greek terms brachys (βραχύς), meaning "short" and pous, genitivepodos (πούς, genitive ποδός) meaning "foot", [5] referring to the length of the stalk supporting the inflorescence. [3]

When Alex George reviewed the genus Verticordia in 1991, he placed this species in subgenus Verticordia, section Pilocosta along with V. huegelii and V. multiflora . [6]

Distribution and habitat

This verticordia grows in sand, often with clay or gravel, often in association with other verticordias, in heath, shrubland or open woodland. [3] It is widespread in areas between the Arrowsmith River, Wialki and Ravensthorpe in the Avon Wheatbelt, Coolgardie, Esperance Plains, Geraldton Sandplains and Mallee biogeographic regions. [7]

Conservation

Verticordia brachypoda is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife. [7]

Use in horticulture

This species of verticordia has been difficult to establish in cultivation but when successul is an attractive plant. In has been propagated from cuttings but germinating seeds has proven to be difficult. Its compact shape and long-lasting flowers indicate horticultural potential when the species' requirements are better understood. [3]

Related Research Articles

Verticordia carinata, commonly known as pea-shaped featherflower or Stirling Range featherflower, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect, spindly shrub with small, well-spaced leaves and pink and red flowers. It is a rarely seen plant, not known between its description in 1849 and its rediscovery in 1990.

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

Verticordia monadelpha is a flowering plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a much-branched shrub with pink to magenta flowers in spring and early summer. It is commonly known as pink Morrison, woolly featherflower, pink woolly featherflower, white woolly featherflower or pink cauliflower.

<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.

<i>Melaleuca blaeriifolia</i> Species of shrub

Melaleuca blaeriifolia is an erect to spreading shrub in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to a small area in the south-west of Western Australia. It has small leaves and small greenish-yellow flowerheads.

<i>Melaleuca concinna</i> Species of shrub

Melaleuca concinna is a small shrub in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. Its species name translates as " neat" or "pretty" and it is distinguished by having many heads of pink flowers in late spring followed by spherical clusters of woody fruits.

<i>Melaleuca hamulosa</i> Species of shrub

Melaleuca hamulosa is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a broom-like shrub with many stiff, ascending branches and spikes of white or pale mauve flowers in spring or summer.

<i>Melaleuca sparsiflora</i> Species of shrub

Melaleuca sparsiflora is a shrub in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It generally grows in heavy soils on the edges of salt lakes and has only one or two flowers at the ends of it branches, unlike the many-flowered heads or spikes of others in the genus Melaleuca.

<i>Melaleuca thyoides</i> Species of flowering plant

Melaleuca thyoides, commonly known as salt lake honey-myrtle is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with grey, papery or fibrous bark and very small, overlapping leaves on thin branchlets. It is a salt tolerant species often found on the edges of salt lakes.

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

Verticordia densiflora, commonly known as compacted featherflower, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with small leaves, usually small pink and white flowers and which is widespread in the south-west of the state. It is a variable species and in his 1991 paper, Alex George formally described five varieties.

Verticordia densiflora var. cespitosa is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with small leaves and pink, or pink and white flowers. It is one of five varieties of the species Verticordia densiflora.

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

Verticordia fimbrilepis, commonly known as shy featherflower, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small, bushy shrub with one openly branched main stem at its base, small, pointed leaves and rounded groups of pink flowers near the ends of the branches.

<i>Verticordia fimbrilepis <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> fimbrilepis</i> Subspecies of flowering plant

Verticordia fimbrilepis subsp. fimbrilepis is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small bushy shrub with one openly branched main stem at its base, small, pointed leaves and rounded groups of pink flowers near the ends of the branches.

Verticordia fimbrilepis subsp. australis, commonly known as southern shy featherflower is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a slender shrub with one openly branched main stem at its base, small, pointed leaves and rounded groups of pink flowers near the ends of the branches.

Verticordia huegelii var. stylosa, commonly known as variegated featherflower, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a single-stemmed shrub with its growth form depending on its surroundings. It is similar to other varieties of the species but differs in its flower colour and the form of the style and staminodes.

Verticordia multiflora is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small, openly branched shrub with small leaves and groups of scented, bright yellow flowers on the ends of the branches in spring or early summer.

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

Verticordia oxylepis, commonly known as bonsai featherflower, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small shrub, often with a layered appearance, small leaves and very small yellow and pink flowers.

<i>Leptospermum oligandrum</i> Species of shrub

Leptospermum oligandrum is a species of erect, spreading shrub that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has broadly egg-shaped to wedge-shaped leaves, white flowers arranged singly or in groups of up to three on the ends of short side branches and fruit that fall from the plant shortly after the seeds are released.

Thryptomene mucronulata is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with upward-pointing, overlapping, egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base and pink flowers with five petals and ten stamens.

<i>Boronia oxyantha</i> Species of flowering plant

Boronia oxyantha is a plant in the citrus family, Rutaceae and is endemic to a small area in the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with many hairy branches, pinnate leaves and pink, four-petalled flowers that have a darker midrib.

<i>Lasiopetalum quinquenervium</i> Species of plant

Lasiopetalum quinquenervium is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is an erect, spreading shrub with hairy stems and leaves, egg-shaped leaves and pink or white flowers.

References

  1. 1 2 "Verticordia brachypoda". APNI. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  2. ↑ "Verticordia stylotricha". APNI. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  3. 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. 260–262. ISBN   1-876268-46-8.
  4. ↑ Turczaninow, Nikolai (1847). "Decas tertia generum adhuc non descriptorum, adjectis descriptionibus nonnullarum specierum Myrtacearum xerocarpicarum atque Umbelliferarum imperfectarum". Bulletin de la Société impériale des naturalistes de Moscou: 159. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  5. ↑ Backer, C.A. (1936). Verklarend woordenboek der wetenschappelijke namen van de in Nederland en Nederlandsch-Indië in het wild groeiende en in tuinen en parken gekweekte varens en hoogere planten (Edition Nicoline van der Sijs).
  6. ↑ George, Alex (1991). "New taxa, combinations and typifications in Verticordia (Myrtaceae : Chamelaucieae)". Nuytsia. 7 (3): 231–394.
  7. 1 2 "Verticordia brachypoda". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
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