Verticordia grandis

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Scarlet featherflower
Verticordia grandis (6968953493).jpg
Verticordia grandis1.jpg
V. grandis in Kings Park
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. grandis
Binomial name
Verticordia grandis

Verticordia grandis is a large woody shrub that occurs in Southwest Australia. The name grandis, Latin for large, is a reference to its large flowers, leaves, and height. It is well known for its large flowers, which are collected and cultivated, and given the informal name of scarlet featherflower. It was the first species of the family Myrtaceae to have been genetically modified.

Contents

Description

Verticordia grandis is a species of Verticordia , a genus of the family Myrtaceae, which are noted for their exquisite flowers. It has been described as the most well known and desirable species of the genus. [1] [2]

The large size and bright red flowers of this plant distinguish from it from its near relations. These shrubs are erect and may attain a height between 0.7 and 4.0 metres and one, or several, main stems that branch out 0.3 metres to 3.0 metres across. Some specimens may be tall and erect, but is more commonly bushy regrowth from a lignotuber. This is the result of exposure to bushfires and other disturbances, the new stems emerging as reddish. The foliage becomes bluish or grey when matured.

The plumose flowers appear in compact groups, that spike out from the upper branch, beginning as white and turning to a deep red colour. The style extends out from the centre of the flower up to 25mm, slightly curving at the end. The petals are fused to form a tube, the sepals are feathery in appearance. Flowering may occur throughout the year, the main period beginning in August and ending in January. The flowers open successively and are up to 25 mm in diameter, these are unscented.

The leaves are 18 to 25 mm long, rounded in outline, paler at the margin, and partly clasping the stem; the floral leaves are similar to those on the lower branches. These are aromatic when crushed, a possible substitute for a floral scent. An oil is contained in prominent glands on the leaf surface. They may become a shade of purple when a plant is stressed.

The open branched habit of these shrubs, especially those taller and environmentally secure specimens, give a straggly appearance with fewer flowers. Regrowth from a lignotuber, or in cultivated environments, give the shrub a more compact habit that flowers profusely. Whether they are undisturbed, or exposed to bushfire etc., Verticordia grandis often attain ages around 100 years old. [1]

V. grandis growing near Badgingarra Verticordia grandis (habit).jpg
V. grandis growing near Badgingarra
V. grandis leaves and flowers Verticordia grandis (leaves and flowers).jpg
V. grandis leaves and flowers

Taxonomy

Discovery and naming

The type collection for Verticordia grandis is the one obtained by James Drummond, sometime between 1849 and 1850, on his last expedition to Champion Bay. Drummond was collecting seed and specimens for the gardens of England and Europe, the colony's first resident botanical collector, and became so enthused by the appearance of the flowers that he filled his bags with them. His response is noted in the memoirs of Dr William Harvey. [3] After preparing his specimens, and having overeagerly collected, Drummond made a bed of the surplus, feathery, material. [4] The species was described in a letter by Drummond, written to and published by William Jackson Hooker, which was sufficient to give him credit as its author. [5] Hookers publication of Drummond's description, in his Journal of Botany and Kew Garden Miscellany (1853), was preceded by The Perth Gazette in 1852. [6] The same newspaper printed a mention of the species, also by Drummond, in 1851. [2]

When Alex George reviewed the genus Verticordia in 1991, he placed this species in subgenus Eperephes, section Pennuligera along with V. comosa , V. lepidophylla , V. chrysostachys , V. aereiflora , V. dichroma , V. x eurardyensis , V. muelleriana , V. argentea , V. albida , V. fragrans , V. venusta , V. forrestii , V. serotina , V. oculata and V. etheliana . [7] The specific epithet (grandis) is a Latin word meaning "large", "great" or "grand", [8] referring to the size of the plant, its leaves and flowers. [1]

The leaves of plants in section Pennuligera are often described as the round or lettuce-leaved species; V. grandis has stem and floral leaves that embrace the stem at their base, and spread out to their diameter of 8–15 mm. The roundish shape of the leaf is highlighted by margins that are lighter in colour.

Distribution and habitat

Verticordia grandis occurs in yellow, grey, and white sands, especially the Geraldton Sandplains. The species is found in heathland and open scrub of the region, an association with laterite has also been identified, and is distributed south of Geraldton and to the east at Three Springs. The range extends south in the plains, between Geraldton and Perth, to a place known as Cataby. Most populations occur within 30 miles of the coastline. [4] The species is not considered to be threatened by extinction, the root system making it tolerant of fire, disturbance, and physical damage, however, the large scale clearing of its range, for European agriculture, is presumed to have impacted on population and distribution in the Wheatbelt. A single outlier at Dalwallinu, conserved on private property by a title deed, is thought to be a remnant of a wider and more eastern distribution. [1]

Ecology

The resilient root system of the species, particularly with regard to fire and soil disturbance, allows the plant to attain ages of up to 100 years. The possession of a lignotuber, one of the few in the genus so endowed, allows the plant to regenerate within a month of a bushfire.

The pollination of Verticordia is poorly understood, although V. grandis, and other red-flowered species are known to be naturally pollinated by birds such as honeyeaters. Records of the species attracted to cultivated plants, when it has been grown locally, include the singing, little brown or New Holland honeyeaters, and the western spinebill.

Uses

The species has been used as the source of cut flowers and as a garden plant. Overpicking and increased demand have prompted study of techniques for its commercial production. Successful research has been undertaken into micropropagation, by means of genetic transformation, for commercial production to supply the floristry industry. [9] This was the first time that a species of family Myrtaceae has been genetically engineered. [10] The publication of papers and reference to the species has steadily increased since the 1990s. [11]

Floristry

The large and bright red flowers of Verticordia grandis have been admired and harvested since its first discovery by Europeans, when Drummond noted its use as an adornment by the people of the region. He described in his first report as the "most beautiful of Australian plants". [2] The cut flower has a vase life of less than 10 days, shorter that other harvested verticordia, and is unresponsive to treatments that extend this period. A technique for extending this is required for viability as an exported commodity. [12] The dried specimens of freshly opened flowers are less brittle and long lasting in ornamental displays. [1] Until a prohibition on unlicensed collection, the species was harvested by sometimes careless pickers; the floral industry is now supplied by professional pickers or growers. The development of micropropagation for the plant is expected after its successful genetic transformation in 1993, this was achieved using meristematic cells that were found to be present in the leaves.

Horticulture

The species has been successfully cultivated as an ornamental plant in suburban environments. It is sometimes grown from seed, in mediterranean climates, or hardwood cuttings are used in grafts with more resilient species. This has been trialled with Darwinia citriodora and Chamelaucium uncinatum (Geraldton wax) supplying the rootstock. [13] The botanical illustrator, Margaret Pieroni, used a 10-year-old specimen from her garden for the plate in Curtis's Botanical Magazine. [4] The cultivated specimens of this plant do not attain the height of endemic examples, typically growing between 1 and 2 metres, and may be slow to establish. [13] Pruning is applied to induce a bushy habit, desirable for neatness and blooming, and this is done severely when the plant is mature. Maintenance of the plant is required to reduce the tendency to become straggly by pruning to new wood. [14] Verticordia are difficult to cultivate in moister environments, but success has been achieved with V. grandis (in Sydney) by using free draining soil in an open situation. [13]

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.

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.

<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 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 sect. Pennuligera is one of six sections in the subgenus Eperephes. It includes sixteen shrub species in the genus Verticordia. Plants in this section range from small and spreading to large shrubs and have been referred to as "lettuce-leaved" or "round-leaved". The flowers are relatively large, with their sepals having feathered lobes and ear-like appendages on a stalk so that the appendages cover the floral cup. The petals are oval to egg-shaped or round and are usually fringed.

<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 oculata</i> Species of shrub

Verticordia oculata is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a sprawling woody shrub with large, circular leaves with white edges and silver-white flowers with a dark centre of lilac and purple, the largest flowers of the genus Verticordia. The botanist Ferdinand von Mueller reportedly became entranced by its floral display when he visited the northern sandplains area in 1877, later describing the shrub as the 'princess of Australian flora'.

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

Verticordia galeata is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a woody shrub with thin, pointed cylinder-shaped leaves and heads of bright yellow flowers on the ends of the branches in spring.

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

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.

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 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.

<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 jamiesonii is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is small shrub with short leaves crowded on young branchlets and white to pale pink flowers in small groups on the ends of branches in early spring.

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 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 serotina is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the north-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with egg-shaped leaves and bright pink flowers with long, curved styles in spring.

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 Elizabeth A. (Berndt) George; Margaret Pieroni (illustrator) (2002). Verticordia: the turner of hearts. Crawley: University of Western Australia Press. pp. 402–403. ISBN   1876268468. Verticordia grandis
  2. 1 2 3 The Perth Gazette, and Independent Journal of Politics and News Volume 4 10 January 1851
  3. ↑ Short, Philip S. (2004). Pursuit of Plants: Experiences of Nineteenth & Early Twentieth Century Plant Collectors. Timber Press. p. 135. ISBN   9780881926354.
  4. 1 2 3 Alex George; Elizabeth A. (Berndt) George; Margaret Pieroni (illustrator) (May 2003). "465. Verticordia grandis". Curtis's Botanical Magazine . 20 (2): 74–79(6). doi:10.1111/1467-8748.00375. ...described and illustrated; its ecology and its position within the genus are given. The circumstances of its discovery, and James Drummond's activities as a collector in Western Australia, are discussed.
  5. ↑ Hooker's Journal of Botany and Kew Gardens Miscellany. 5:119 (1853) per "Verticordia grandis". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
  6. ↑ "Verticordia grandis". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. citing The Perth Gazette, and Independent Journal of Politics and News 23 April 1852
  7. ↑ George, Alex (1991). "New taxa, combinations and typifications in Verticordia (Myrtaceae : Chamelaucieae)". Nuytsia. 7 (3): 231–394.
  8. ↑ Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 461.
  9. ↑ Speer, SS (1993). "Micropropagation of some Myrtaceae species which show potential as 'new' ornamental plants". Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture. 33 (3): 385–391. doi:10.1071/EA9930385.
  10. ↑ Stummer, Belinda E. (1993). Micropropagation and genetic transformation of 'verticordia grandis'. Thesis (Ph.D.) (Thesis). University of Adelaide, Depts. of Plant and Soil Sciences. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  11. ↑ "Verticordia grandis". Listing of Interesting Plants of the World. Australian New Crops Web Site. Archived from the original on 2011-07-22. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  12. ↑ Seaton, K.A. (2006). "Comparison of vase-life and ethylene response of Verticordia cut flowers". Journal of Horticultural Science & Biotechnology. 81 (4): 721–727. doi:10.1080/14620316.2006.11512129. S2CID   82679503. Archived from the original on 2011-07-26.
  13. 1 2 3 "Verticordia grandis". Association of Societies for Growing Australian Plants (ASGAP). 2007-11-20. Retrieved 2008-03-10.
  14. ↑ Josh Byrne (2007-11-17). "Fact Sheet: Verticordias". Gardening Australia. ABC . Retrieved 2008-04-07.
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