Verticordia lepidophylla

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Verticordia lepidophylla
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
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. lepidophylla
Binomial name
Verticordia lepidophylla

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.

Contents

Description

Verticordia lepidophylla is a shrub which grows to a height of 2 m (7 ft) usually with one highly branched main stem. Its leaves are egg-shaped, dished 1.5–3 mm (0.06–0.1 in) long, have a rounded end and a few irregular teeth along the edge. [2]

The flowers are scented and are arranged in spike-like groups along the stems on erect stalks 2–4 mm (0.08–0.2 in) long. The floral cup is a top-shaped, 3 mm (0.1 in) long, 5-ribbed and glabrous with rounded green appendages about 1 mm (0.04 in) long. The sepals are deep yellow or cream-coloured, 4–6.5 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long, with 6 to 10 feathery lobes and ear-shaped appendages. The petals are a similar colour to the sepals, sometimes with red spots, egg-shaped to almost round, 5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and have long, pointed, finger-like appendages. The style is 5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long, bent and hairy, mostly on one side. Flowering time is from September or November to January, depending on variety. [2]

Taxonomy and naming

Verticordia lepidophylla was first formally described by Ferdinand von Mueller in 1857 and the description was published in Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae . The type specimen was collected by Augustus Oldfield near the Murchison River. [1] [3] The specific epithet (lepidophylla) is derived from the Ancient Greek words lepis meaning "scale" and phyllon meaning "leaf", referring to the scale-like leaves which are often pressed against the stem. [2]

Alex George undertook a review of the genus Verticordia in 1991 and described two varieties of this species: [4]

George placed this species in subgenus Eperephes, section Pennuligera along with V. comosa , 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 , V. etheliana and V. grandis . [4]

Distribution and habitat

This verticordia grows in sandy soil, sometimes with gravel or clay in heath and shrubland. It occurs from Shark Bay to Geraldton and inland as far as Eurardy Reserve [2] in the Avon Wheatbelt, Carnarvon, Geraldton Sandplains and Yalgoo biogeographic regions. [7]

Conservation

Variety quantula is classified as "Priority One" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife [8] meaning that it is known from only one or a few locations which are potentially at risk. [9] Variety lepidophylla is classified as "Not Threatened" by the Department of Parks and Wildlife. [7]

Use in horticulture

The varieties lepidophylla has been described as "an attractive shrub" and has been in cultivation for many years. It is usually propagated from cuttings and although slow-growing at first, is frost tolerant and resists insect and fungus attacks. Some specimens of var. quantula have been propagated and grown at Kings Park. [2]

Related Research Articles

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 verticordina is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to a small area near the coast of the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small, low-growing shrub with crowded leaves and in spring, scattered pale greenish-cream and golden brown flowers. Its unusual flowers and fleshy leaves give the plant a superficial resemblance to a Darwinia.

<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 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.

<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 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.

<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.

<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.

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 hughanii, commonly known as Hughan's 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 spreading, oblong leaves and spike-like groups of bright red flowers near the ends of the branches. It is a rare plant, only known from three small populations and currently meets the requirements of the World Conservation Union Red List Category "Endangered".

<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 minutiflora is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a bushy shrub with small, crowded, cylindrical leaves and groups of white to pale pink flowers in summer and autumn. As suggested by its botanical name, it has the smallest flowers of any verticordia.

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.

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

Verticordia penicillaris is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small, widely spreading shrub, usually with several main branches. It is readily distinguished from other verticordias by its yellow flowers with white fringes and purple hairs on the end of their long styles.

Verticordia pholidophylla 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 branch at the base and many side branches with overlapping yellowish leaves and greenish-white to cream, cup-shaped, feathery flowers.

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.

Verticordia wonganensis is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub which grows near Wongan Hills and has a single main stem, small leaves and spike-like groups of large, pink, feathery flowers.

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 "Verticordia lepidophylla". APNI. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Elizabeth A. (Berndt) George; Margaret Pieroni (illustrator) (2002). Verticordia: the turner of hearts (1st ed.). Crawley, Western Australia: University of Western Australia Press. pp. 364–367. ISBN   1-876268-46-8.
  3. von Mueller, Ferdinand (1857). Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae (Vol. 1, No. 10). Melbourne. p. 228. Retrieved 27 June 2016.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. 1 2 George, Alex (1991). "New taxa, combinations and typifications in Verticordia (Myrtaceae : Chamelaucieae)". Nuytsia. 7 (3): 231–394. doi:10.58828/nuy00167. S2CID   195414803.
  5. "Verticordia lepidophylla var. lepidophylla". APNI. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
  6. "Verticordia lepidophylla var. quantula". APNI. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
  7. 1 2 "Verticordia lepidophylla lepidophylla". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  8. "Verticordia lepidophylla quantula". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  9. "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 27 June 2016.