Verticordia helichrysantha

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Coast featherflower
Verticordia helichrysantha.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. Verticordia
Section: Verticordia sect. Verticordia
Species:
V. helichrysantha
Binomial name
Verticordia helichrysantha

Verticordia helichrysantha, commonly known as coast featherflower or Barrens featherflower, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small, woody, open-branched shrub with crowded, linear leaves and small yellow flowers from May to September.

Contents

Description

Verticordia helichrysantha is an openly branched, more or less sprawling shrub which grows to 30 cm (10 in) high and 50 cm (20 in) wide. The leaves are clustered, crowded, pale greyish-green, 3–8 mm (0.1–0.3 in) long, linear to club-shaped, semi-circular in cross-section with a rounded end. [1] [2]

The flowers are arranged singly or in small groups in the upper leaf axils, each flower on a stalk, 2–5 mm (0.08–0.2 in) long. The floral cup is 2 mm (0.08 in) long, smooth and hairy. The sepals are pale yellow, 4.5–5 mm (0.18–0.20 in) long, covered with short, soft hairs and have 4 or 5 feathery lobes. The petals are the same colour as the sepals, about 3.0–3.5 mm (0.12–0.14 in) long, erect and egg-shaped, covered with short, soft hairs on their outer surface and have irregular teeth along their edge. The style is 14–17 mm (0.6–0.7 in) long, curved with a few inconspicuous hairs and extends well beyond the petals. Flowering time is from May to September or October. [1] [2]

The short, greyish leaves and softly hairy sepals and petals distinguish this species from similar verticordias.

Taxonomy and naming

Verticordia helichrysantha was first formally described by Ferdinand von Mueller in 1867 and the description was published in George Bentham's Flora Australiensis . The type collection was made by George Maxwell. [3] [4] Mueller did not explain the choice of the specific epithet (helichrysantha), but it may have been given because of a similarity of the flowers of this species to the small-flowered species of Helichrysum (since separated into ''Helichrysum, Schoenia , Argentipallium and Bracteantha ). [1]

When Alex George reviewed the genus in 1991, he placed this species in subgenus Verticordia, section Verticordia along with V. crebra , V. harveyi , V. plumosa , V. stenopetala , V. sieberi , V. pityrhops and V. fimbrilepis . [5]

Distribution and habitat

This verticordia grows in shallow sand over spongolite and limestone on coastal plains and cliffs, in coastal heath, usually with V. fastigiata and V. habrantha . Its distribution is restricted an area west of Mount Barren in the Fitzgerald River National Park to Cape Riche although it has been recorded once at a location near Kamballup in the Stirling Range. The species was recorded in 1965 by Kenneth Newbey but not seen again until 1982, when it was rediscovered by Norm Stevens. It only occurs in the Esperance Plains biogeographic region. [1] [6] [7]

Conservation

Verticordia helichrysantha is classified as "Threatened Flora (Declared Rare Flora — Extant)" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife [6] and it has also been listed as "Vulnerable" (VU) under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The species is known from five populations, one of which has not been seen since 1964 and another since 1986. The three remaining populations contain an estimated 25,000 mature plants. Although the risk from dieback disease is considered to be moderate, there are potential threats from land clearing, inappropriate fire regimes, mining and damage from four-wheel driving. [2]

Use in horticulture

The pale foliage, pink flower buds and yellow flowers are attractive features of this verticordia but it has not often been grown in gardens. It is relatively easy to propagate from cuttings and is hardy in areas with winter rainfall. [1]

Related Research Articles

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

Verticordia plumosa, commonly known as plumed featherflower, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It was the first species in the genus to be described, although initially given the name Chamelaucium plumosum. It is a shrub with linear leaves and rounded groups of scented pink, mauve or white flowers. Two varieties of this species have been declared as being "threatened".

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.

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

Verticordia apecta, commonly known as scruffy verticordia or Hay River 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 linear lower stem leaves, narrow elliptic upper stem leaves and elliptic to egg-shaped leaves near the flowers. There are only a few flowers in the upper leaf axils on relatively long stalks and the sepals are deep pink with fine, white fringes.

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.

Verticordia crebra, commonly known as Barrens featherflower, crowded featherflower or Twertup featherflower, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a sprawling shrub with crowded, cylinder-shaped leaves with small, yellow flowers that are almost hidden by the leaves but with a style which extends well beyond the petals. The plant looks superficially like a miniature pine tree.

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

Verticordia habrantha, commonly known as hidden 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 short, leafy side-branches and long flowering stems with rounded heads of mostly white flowers. Its hairy sepals are mostly hidden by the round, unfringed petals, and as a result, the plant looks like shrubs in the genus Chamelaucium, to which it is closely related.

Verticordia harveyi, commonly known as autumn featherflower, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a slender, spindly shrub with relatively long leaves and small white, pink or magenta-coloured flowers in late summer and autumn.

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

Verticordia spicata, commonly known as spiked featherflower, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is usually a dense, bushy shrub with small leaves pressed against the stem and spikes of pink flowers from late spring to early summer.

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

Verticordia pritzelii, commonly known as Pritzel's featherflower, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a compact, woody shrub with several main stems, small, linear to club-shaped leaves, and rounded groups of deep pink flowers from late spring to mid-summer.

<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.

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. 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.

<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 humilis</i> Species of flowering plant

Verticordia humilis, commonly known as small 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 with leafy branches and scattered, mostly red flowers hanging loosely near the ends of the branches.

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

Verticordia mitchelliana, commonly known as rapier 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 bright red, rapier-like flowers in spring and early summer, which readily distinguish it from other species. It is commonly grown in private gardens and some forms have larger flowers than those usually found in the wild.

Verticordia pityrhops, commonly known as East Mount Barren featherflower or pine-like 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 which is densely-branched with crowded narrow linear leaves giving the impression of a miniature pine tree. When it flowers in autumn, the shrub is completely covered with masses of very small, honey-scented, pinkish-purple flowers.

Verticordia polytricha, commonly known as northern cauliflower, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, bushy shrub with linear leaves and dense heads of white flowers in late spring and summer.

Verticordia sieberi 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, often compact but sometimes openly branched and with pink to pale purple flowers in summer and autumn.

Verticordia stenopetala is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a low shrub with small leaves and heads of pink to magenta-coloured flowers 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 (1st ed.). Crawley, Western Australia: University of Western Australia Press. pp. 180–181. ISBN   1-876268-46-8.
  2. 1 2 3 "Approved Conservation Advice for Verticordia helichrysantha (Coast Featherflower)" (PDF). Government of Australia Department of the Environment. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  3. ↑ "Verticordia helichrysantha". APNI. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  4. ↑ Bentham, George (1867). Flora Australiensis (Volume 3). London: Lovell Reeve and Co. p. 21. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  5. ↑ George, Alex (1991). "New taxa, combinations and typifications in Verticordia (Myrtaceae : Chamelaucieae)". Nuytsia. 7 (3): 231–394.
  6. 1 2 "Verticordia harveyi". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  7. ↑ Paczkowska, Grazyna; Chapman, Alex R. (2000). The Western Australian flora : a descriptive catalogue. Perth: Wildflower Society of Western Australia. p. 407. ISBN   0646402439.
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