Verticordia muelleriana

Last updated

Verticordia muelleriana
Verticordia muelleriana.jpg
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. muelleriana
Binomial name
Verticordia muelleriana

Verticordia muelleriana is a species of 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.

Contents

Description

Verticordia muelleriana is a shrub which grows to a height of up to 2 m (7 ft) with a single main branch with a few side branches. Its leaves are egg-shaped to almost circular, 3–7 mm (0.1–0.3 in) long and have thin edges. [2]

The flowers are arranged in spikes along the branches, opening in sequence from the lowest flowers, each flower on a stalk about 1 mm (0.04 in) long. The floral cup is top-shaped, 3.5 mm (0.1 in) long, glabrous and slightly rough with green appendages about 1 mm (0.04 in) long. The sepals are a deep maroon colour, spreading, 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long and have 8 or 9 feathery lobes and two large, hairy, ear-like appendages. The petals are a similar colour, erect, 5 mm (0.2 in) long, 3.5 mm (0.1 in) wide with a fringe a further 2 mm (0.08 in) and also have small, hairy, ear-like appendages. The style is 7 mm (0.3 in) long, curved, and densely hairy near the tip. Flowering time is from September to January. [2]

Taxonomy and naming

Verticordia muelleriana was first formally described by Ernst Pritzel in 1904 from a specimen he collected between Watheroo and Coorow and the description was published in Botanische Jahrbücher für Systematik, Pflanzengeschichte und Pflanzengeographie. [1] [3] The specific epithet (muelleriana) honours Ferdinand von Mueller. [2]

The names of two subspecies are accepted by the Australian Plant Census:

When Alex George reviewed the genus Verticordia in 1991, he placed this species in subgenus Eperephes, section Pennuligera along with V. chrysostachys , V. lepidophylla , V. aereiflora , V. dichroma , V. x eurardyensis , V. comosa , 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 sand, sometimes with lateritic gravel, usually with other species of Verticordia in woodland and shrubland. It occurs between Coomberdale and Watheroo [2] in the Avon Wheatbelt, Geraldton Sandplains and Jarrah Forest biogeographic regions. [7] [8]

Conservation

Subspecies muelleriana is classified as "Priority Three" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife [7] meaning that it is poorly known and known from only a few locations but is not under imminent threat. [9] Subspecies minor is classified as "Priority Two" meaning that it is poorly known and from only one or a few locations. [8]

Use in horticulture

Both subspecies of this verticordia have been propagated from cuttings and by grafting onto Chamelaucium uncinatum rootstock but have been slow to establish in the garden. Those that have, proved to be hardy in sunny situations in a range of soil types. [2]

Related Research Articles

<i>Eremophila dichroantha</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila dichroantha, also known as bale-hook eremophila, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with many ascending branches making the plant appear broom-like. It has small, hooked leaves and small, though abundant, violet to lilac-coloured flowers.

<i>Commersonia borealis</i> Species of flowering plant

Commersonia borealis is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is a low growing, spreading shrub with egg-shaped to oblong leaves, and white, yellow and cream-coloured flowers.

<i>Eremophila caerulea</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila caerulea, commonly known as spotted eremophila, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a low, compact, spreading shrub with narrow, warty, cylindrical leaves and blue to purple flowers.

<i>Eremophila platythamnos</i> Species of plant

Eremophila platythamnos, commonly known as desert foxglove, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is an erect shrub with short, broad leaves and purple, mauve, blue or pink 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.

Balaustion grandibracteatum is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to inland Western Australia. It is a shrub with mostly narrowly oblong to elliptic leaves and white flowers with 14 to 27 stamens.

Balaustion grande is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a low-growing shrub with oblong or narrowly oblong leaves and usually white or pale pink flowers with 16 to 28 stamens fused in a ring.

<i>Boronia purdieana</i> Species of flowering plant

Boronia purdieana is a plant in the citrus family, Rutaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with pinnate leaves and yellow, four-petalled flowers arranged singly in leaf axils.

<i>Cyanothamnus fabianoides</i> Species of flowering plant

Cyanothamnus fabianoides is a plant in the citrus family, Rutaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a compact shrub with many branches, simple, more or less cylindrical leaves and single white, pink or pale blue four-petalled flowers in the leaf axils.

<i>Philotheca deserti</i> Species of plant

Philotheca deserti is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to inland Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with narrow spindle-shaped, glandular-warty leaves and white flowers arranged singly in leaf axils.

<i>Philotheca tomentella</i> Species of flowering plant

Philotheca tomentella is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an undershrub with small club-shaped to cylindrical leaves and white flowers with a pale red central stripe, arranged singly or in groups of up to four on the ends of branchlets.

<i>Androcalva luteiflora</i> Species of flowering plant

Androcalva luteiflora is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae and is endemic to western Australia. It is an erect, sucker-forming shrub with egg-shaped leaves, the edges irregularly toothed, and clusters of 3 to 18 or more yellow flowers.

Goodenia nuda is a species of flowering plant in the family Goodeniaceae and is endemic to the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It is an erect to ascending herb with elliptic to lance-shaped leaves at the base of the plant, and racemes of yellow flowers.

<i>Hibbertia silvestris</i> Species of flowering plant

Hibbertia silvestris is a species of flowering plant in the family Dilleniaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a prostrate to more or less erect or spreading shrub with hairy young branchlets, elliptic to egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base and yellow flowers with seven to ten stamens on one side of two softly-hairy carpels.

Lechenaultia juncea, commonly known as reed-like leschenaultia, is a species of flowering plant in the family Goodeniaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, perennial herb or shrub with crowded, fleshy leaves, and pale blue flowers.

<i>Lechenaultia stenosepala</i> Species of shrub

Lechenaultia stenosepala, commonly known as narrow-sepaled leschenaultia, is a species of flowering plant in the family Goodeniaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an open, more or less erect perennial herb or shrub with crowded, narrow leaves, and blue to pale blue or creamy-white flowers.

Lasiopetalum microcardium is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a low, spreading or straggling shrub with hairy stems, heart-shaped leaves and blue, purple or white flowers.

Thomasia dielsii is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a low, erect to spreading shrub with egg-shaped leaves with wavy edges, and purple, violet and blue flowers.

Thomasia multiflora is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a low, spreading shrub with broadly egg-shaped leaves and mauve flowers.

<i>Swainsona tenuis</i> Species of plant

Swainsona tenuis is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to western continental Australia. It is a prostrate perennial herb with many stems, imparipinnate leaves with 5 to 9 egg-shaped leaflets with the narrower end towards the base, to linear or elliptic leaflets, and racemes of up to 7 purple flowers.

References

  1. 1 2 "Verticordia muelleriana". APNI. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  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. 380–383. ISBN   1-876268-46-8.
  3. ↑ Pritzel, Ernst (1904). "Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae occidentalis. Beitrage zur Kenntnis der Pflanzen Westaustraliens, ihrer Verbreitung und ihrer Lebensverhaltnisse". Botanische Jahrbücher für Systematik, Pflanzengeschichte und Pflanzengeographie. 35 (2): 407. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 George, Alex (1991). "New taxa, combinations and typifications in Verticordia (Myrtaceae : Chamelaucieae)". Nuytsia. 7 (3): 231–394.
  5. ↑ "Verticordia muelleriana subsp. minor". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  6. ↑ "Verticordia muelleriana subsp. muelleriana". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  7. 1 2 "Verticordia muelleriana muelleriana". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  8. 1 2 "Verticordia muelleriana minor". 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 30 June 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.