Verticordia chrysostachys

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Verticordia chrysostachys
Verticordia chrysostachys.jpg
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. Eperephes
Section: Verticordia sect. Pennuligera
Species:
V. chrysostachys
Binomial name
Verticordia chrysostachys

Verticordia chrysostachys is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an open-branched shrub with egg-shaped to almost circular leaves, and spike-like groups of cream-coloured or deep yellow flowers.

Contents

Description

Verticordia chrysostachys is an open-branched shrub with a single stem at the base and which grows to a height of 0.7–2.0 m (2–7 ft) and a spread of 0.3–1.5 m (1–5 ft). The leaves are egg-shaped to almost circular, 2.5–5.0 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long and slightly glaucous. [1] [2]

The flowers are scented, arranged in spike-like groups in leaf axils near the ends of the branches and are deep yellow to cream-coloured. The flowers are held on stalks 2–4 mm (0.08–0.2 in) long. The floral cup is top-shaped, about 3.0 mm (0.1 in) long, with 5 ribs and glabrous. The sepals are deep yellow or cream, 4.0–6.5 mm (0.16–0.26 in) long, with 7 to 12 densely feathery lobes. The petals are a similar colour to the sepals but often also with red spots, egg-shaped, 5.0–7.0 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long with a fringe and ear-like appendages. The style is 5–7 mm (0.20–0.28 in) long, bent, with hairs mostly on one side. Flowering time is from November to January. [1] [2]

Taxonomy and naming

Verticordia chrysostachys was first formally described by Carl Meissner in 1857 and the description was published in Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society, Botany from specimens collected by James Drummond. [3] [4] The specific epithet (chrysostachys) is derived from the Ancient Greek words khrusos meaning "gold" [5] and stachys meaning "a spike" [6] referring to the flowers. [1]

When Alex George reviewed the genus in 1991, he described two varieties of V.chrysostachys: [7]

In the same paper, George placed this species in subgenus Eperephes, section Pennuligera along with V. comosa , V. lepidophylla , V. aereiflora , V. dichroma , V. x eurardyensis , V. muelleriana , V. argentea , V. albida , V. fragrans , V. venusta , V. forrestii , V. serotina , V. oculata , V. etheliana and V. grandis . [7]

Distribution and habitat

This verticordia grows in sandy soils with clay, loam or gravel, often with other verticordias in shrubland and woodland. Var. chyrsostachya occurs near the Murchison River and the area between it and Northampton, Yuna, Mullewa and Geraldton in the Geraldton Sandplains biogeographic region. [1] [10] Variety pallida has a similar range, extending into the Avon Wheatbelt region. [1] [11] In some areas in has produced natural hybrids with other verticordias and in some areas there are hybrid swarms. [1]

Conservation

Verticordia chrysostachys is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife [10] but var. pallida is classified as "Priority Three" [11] meaning that it is poorly known and known from only a few locations but is not under imminent threat. [12]

Use in horticulture

Several forms of both varieties of V. chrysostachys have been successfully cultivated in Western Australia, generally in well-drained soil in a sunny position. Propagation from seed, from cuttings, by grafting onto Chamelaucium uncinatum have all been successful. [1] [2] The Western Australian Government Department of Agriculture has developed guidelines for the cultivation of this and other verticordia species for commercial production due to their potential for the cut flower trade. [13]

Related Research Articles

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

Verticordia huegelii, 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 sometimes an erect shrub, sometimes sprawling to almost prostrate. It has linear leaves and very feathery flowers in spring. The flowers are usually cream-coloured or white, becoming pinkish and reddish or maroon as the flowers age, giving a variegated appearance to the display.

Verticordia albida 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 main stem with many branches and spike-like groups of scented, white feathery flowers with a pink centre.

Verticordia aereiflora is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a thin but bushy shrub with small leaves and greenish-yellow flowers with red spots and red fringes on the sepals.

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 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.

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

Verticordia venusta 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 small, egg-shaped leaves and spikes of pink to maroon-coloured flowers in spring and early summer.

Verticordia comosa 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 small, broad, almost round leaves and spikes of flowers that are pale yellow, sometimes with a white or pale pink centre.

<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. stelluligera 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 small leaves and small clusters of yellowish or pink and cream flowers. It is one of 5 varieties of the species Verticordia densiflora.

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

Verticordia dichroma 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 rounded leaves and spikes of scented, deep red and golden-coloured flowers.

Verticordia endlicheriana var. compacta is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small, usually compact shrub with sweetly-perfumed, golden-yellow flowers which fade through reddish to almost black as they age.

<i>Verticordia etheliana</i> Species of shrub

Verticordia etheliana 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 highly branched main stem, egg-shaped to almost round leaves and spike-like groups of bright red flowers with greenish-cream centres.

Verticordia etheliana var. etheliana 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 highly branched main stem, egg-shaped to almost round leaves and spike-like groups of bright red flowers with greenish-cream centres. It differs from V. etheliana var. formosa in having longer leaves, and larger flowers.

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.

<i>Verticordia huegelii <span style="font-style:normal;">var.</span> huegelii</i> Variety of flowering plant

Verticordia huegelii var. huegelii, 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 an upright, slender or bushy shrub, with creamish-white flowers turning pink or reddish maroon as they age, giving the plant a variegated appearance. It is similar to Verticordia huegelii var. decumbens but is more upright than that variety and lacks a lignotuber.

Verticordia lepidophylla is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is usually a bushy shrub with small leaves and spikes of creamish-green to yellow flowers in spikes along the branches in late spring to early summer.

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 muelleriana 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 relatively large, egg-shaped to circular leaves and long spikes of deep maroon coloured flowers in spring and early summer.

Verticordia paludosa 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 small leaves and pink to magenta flowers with spreading, feathery sepals and erect, fringed petals in summer and autumn.

Verticordia × eurardyensis, commonly known as Eurardy magenta, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to a small area in the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub similar to both Verticordia dichroma and Verticordia spicata which grow in the same area and is thought to be a stable hybrid between those two species. It has mostly egg-shaped leaves and spike-like groups of dark magenta-coloured flowers which fade to straw-coloured, in late spring and early summer.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Elizabeth A. (Berndt) George; Margaret Pieroni (illustrator) (2002). Verticordia: the turner of hearts (1st ed.). Crawley, Western Australia: University of Western Australia Press. pp. 368–370. ISBN   1-876268-46-8.
  2. 1 2 3 "Verticordia chrysostachys". Australian Native Plants Society (Australia). Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  3. ↑ "Verticordia chrysostachys". APNI. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  4. ↑ Meisner, Carl (1857). "On some new species of Chamaelauciae". Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society, Botany. 1: 41. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  5. ↑ Moore, Bruce, ed. (2002). The Australian Oxford Dictionary (1999 ed.). South Melbourne, Vic.: Oxford University Press. p. 1601. ISBN   0195507932.
  6. ↑ Quattrocchi, Umberto (2012). CRC World Dictionary of Medicinal and Poisonous Plants : Common Names, Scientific Names, Eponyms, Synonyms, and Etymology. Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC. p. 1601. ISBN   9781420080445.
  7. 1 2 George, Alex (1991). "New taxa, combinations and typifications in Verticordia (Myrtaceae : Chamelaucieae)". Nuytsia. 7 (3): 231–394.
  8. ↑ "Verticordia chrysostachys var. chrysostachys". APNI. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  9. ↑ "Verticordia chrysostachys var. pallida". APNI. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  10. 1 2 "Verticordia chrysostachys var. chrysostachys". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  11. 1 2 "Verticordia chrysostachys var. pallida". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  12. ↑ "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  13. ↑ "Grafted Verticordia Cultivation". Western Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Food. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
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