Verticordia densiflora var. cespitosa

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Verticordia densiflora var. cespitosa
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Verticordia
Species:
V. densiflora
Variety:
V. d. var. cespitosa
Trinomial name
Verticordia densiflora var. cespitosa

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 .

Contents

Description

Verticordia densiflora var. cespitosa is a shrub which grows to a height of 20–70 cm (8–30 in) and has a fire-tolerant lignotuber. The leaves vary in shape from linear to egg-shaped and those near the flowers are 0.8–1.5 mm (0.03–0.06 in) wide. [2]

The flowers are honey-scented and arranged in corymb-like groups on erect stalks usually from 2 to 3 mm (0.08 to 0.1 in) long, sometimes 4 mm (0.2 in) long. The flowers are silvery-pink to bright mauve-pink and white, sometimes all pale to deep pink. The floral cup is shaped like half a sphere, about 1.5 mm (0.06 in) long, smooth but hairy near its base. The sepals have a base which is a short, broad strap and are 2.5–3.5 mm (0.098–0.14 in) long, with 2 to 4 lobes which have a fringe of coarse hairs. The petals are a similar colour to the sepals, 1.2–1.9 mm (0.05–0.07 in) long, egg-shaped with many filaments on their ends. The style is 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long, extends beyond the petals, is curved and hairy and has a thickened base. Flowering occurs from October to May. [2]

Taxonomy and naming

Verticordia cespitosa was first formally described by Nikolai Turczaninow in 1847 and the description was published in Bulletin de la Société Impériale des Naturalistes de Moscou. [3] [4] In 1991, Alex George undertook a review of the genus Verticordia , described five varieties of Verticordia densiflora and recognised V. cespitosa as a variety of V. densiflora. [5] The epithet "cespitosa" is "from the Latin caespitosus (tufted), in reference to the habit of the type specimen, deliberately spelt cespitosa by Nicolas Turczaninow", both in the protologue and on the holotype sheet. [2] [6]

Distribution and habitat

This variety of V. densiflora grows in sand, often associated with granite or spongolite, sometimes in poorly drained, low-lying areas. It is found in heath, shrubland or woodland from near Geraldton in the north to near Esperance on the south coast and inland as far as Dowerin. [2] It occurs in the Avon Wheatbelt, Coolgardie, Esperance Plains, Geraldton Sandplains, Jarrah Forest, Mallee and Swan Coastal Plain biogeographic regions. [7]

Conservation

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

Use in horticulture

There are several forms of this variety - one is a tall, open shrub which often has large flower heads and another is compact, rounded and produces masses of flowers. Both are relatively hardy plants, even in more humid areas such as Sydney, will grow in a range of soils and are relatively tolerant of frost. Propagation is easy from cuttings and from seed, although the germination rate is relatively low. [2]

Related Research Articles

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.

Verticordia capillaris 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 leaves and creamy white or occasionally pink flowers in dense corymb-like groups. It is common in small areas near Geraldton.

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 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.

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

Verticordia densiflora var. densiflora 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, occasionally white flowers. It is one of 5 varieties of the species Verticordia densiflora.

Verticordia densiflora var. pedunculata, commonly known as long-stalked 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 and mauve-pink flowers which fade to white. It is one of five varieties of the species Verticordia densiflora and is distinguished from the others by its much longer flower stalks.

Verticordia densiflora var. rosteostella 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 small groups of star-like, yellowish and pink flowers. It is one of 5 varieties of the species Verticordia densiflora.

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.

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.

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

Verticordia huegelii var. decumbens, 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 almost prostrate shrub, with creamish-lemon coloured flowers turning pink then red as they age, giving the plant a variegated appearance. It is similar to Verticordia huegelii var. huegelii but has a lignotuber and a lower growth habit.

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 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.

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

Verticordia lindleyi is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is sometimes an openly branched shrub, other times more or less dense, with small leaves and spreading, spike-like groups of pink or purple flowers along the stems in summer, sometimes also in autumn.

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 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.

References

  1. ↑ "Verticordia densiflora var. cespitosa". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
  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. 218–220. ISBN   1-876268-46-8.
  3. ↑ "Verticordia cespitosa". APNI. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  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. 20 (1): 157. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  5. ↑ "Verticordia densiflora cespitosa". APNI. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  6. ↑ George, Alex (1991). "New taxa, combinations and typifications in Verticordia (Myrtaceae : Chamelaucieae)". Nuytsia. 7 (3): 231–394.
  7. 1 2 "Verticordia densiflora cespitosa". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
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