Verticordia densiflora var. densiflora

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

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 .

Contents

Description

Verticordia densiflora var. densiflora is an openly branched shrub which grows to a height of 0.15–1.0 m (0.5–3 ft). The leaves vary in shape from linear to egg-shaped and those near the flowers are 0.8–1.3 mm (0.03–0.05 in) wide. [2]

The flowers are scented and arranged in corymb-like groups on erect stalks from 1.5 to 2.5 mm (0.06 to 0.1 in) long. 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 are pale pink, to very dark purplish pink and fade with age, or sometimes white. They are 2–3.5 mm (0.08–0.1 in) long, with 3 lobes which have a fringe of coarse hairs. The petals are a similar colour to the sepals, 0.8–1.9 mm (0.03–0.07 in) long, egg-shaped with many filaments on their ends. The style is 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long, extending beyond the petals and is curved and hairy. Flowering occurs from September to February. [2]

Taxonomy and naming

Verticordia densiflora was first formally described by John Lindley in 1839 and the description was published in A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony . [1] In 1991, Alex George undertook a review of the genus Verticordia and described five varieties of Verticordia densiflora including this variety. [3]

Distribution and habitat

This variety of V. densiflora grows in sand, often associated with granite in heath, shrubland or woodland and is widespread from Geraldton in the north to Bremer Bay and Busselton in the south and eastwards towards the Wongan Hills. [2] It occurs in the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains, Geraldton Sandplains, Jarrah Forest, Mallee and Swan Coastal Plain biogeographic regions. [4]

Conservation

Verticordia densiflora var. densiflora is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife. [4]

Use in horticulture

This variety is well established in gardens where it often produces honey-perfumed flowers from November to March. It has grown well in both summer- and winter-rainfall areas in a wide range of soils, producing more flowers when grown in full sun but deeper colours in part shade. It has been successfully propagated from seed, from cuttings and by grafting onto Darwinia citriodora rootstock. [2]

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.

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

Verticordia blepharophylla 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 a single main stem, leaves with hairy margins and pale to deep mauve-pink flowers and which occurs in an area between Perth and Geraldton.

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.

<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.

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.

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

Verticordia drummondii, commonly known as Drummond's featherflower, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, openly to densely branched shrub with small, narrow leaves and pink to purple flowers in small heads near the ends of the branches.

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

Verticordia endlicheriana var. manicula is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is usually a small, compact shrub with sweetly-perfumed, lemon-yellow flowers which change colour through red to brown 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.

<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.

<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.

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

Verticordia ovalifolia, commonly known as oval-leaved featherflower, 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 strap-like, feathery petals in spring.

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.

References

  1. 1 2 "Verticordia densiflora". APNI. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Elizabeth A. (Berndt) George; Margaret Pieroni (illustrator) (2002). Verticordia: the turner of hearts (1st ed.). Crawley, Western Australia: University of Western Australia Press. pp. 216–218. ISBN   1-876268-46-8.
  3. "Verticordia densiflora densiflora". APNI. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  4. 1 2 "Verticordia densiflora densiflora". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.