Verticordia multiflora

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Verticordia multiflora
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. Pilocosta
Species:
V. multiflora
Binomial name
Verticordia multiflora

Verticordia multiflora is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small, openly branched shrub with small leaves and groups of scented, bright yellow flowers on the ends of the branches in spring or early summer.

Contents

Description

Verticordia multiflora is a shrub which grows to a height of up to 60 cm (20 in) and is irregularly and openly branched. Its leaves are oblong to elliptic in shape, 2–4 mm (0.08–0.2 in) long, semicircular in cross section and often have tiny serrations along their edges. [2]

The flowers are arranged in rounded groups on the ends of the branches, each flower on a stalk 10–12 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long. The floral cup is top-shaped, 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) long and hairy with small swellings beneath each sepal. The sepals are bright yellow, 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) long and are deeply divided and hairy. The petals are a similar colour, erect, 2.5–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long, egg-shaped to almost round with a hairy margin. The style is 3–5.3 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long, straight, and has long white hairs along its length. Flowering time is from October to January, depending on subspecies. [2]

Taxonomy and naming

Verticordia multiflora was first formally described by Nikolai Turczaninow in 1847 from a specimen collected by James Drummond and the description was published in Bulletin de la Société Impériale des Naturalistes de Moscou. [1] [3] The specific epithet (multiflora) is a Latin word meaning "many-flowered". [4]

There are two subspecies:

When Alex George reviewed the genus Verticordia in 1991, he placed this species in subgenus Verticordia, section Pilocosta along with V. huegelii and V. brachypoda . [6]

Distribution and habitat

This verticordia usually grows in sand, sometimes with clay or decomposing granite, often with other species of Verticordia in woodland and shrubland. The two subspecies have different distributions in the south-west. [2]

Conservation

Subspecies solox is classified as "Priority Two" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife [8] meaning that it is poorly known and from only one or a few locations [9] but subspecies muliflora is classified as "Not Threatened". [10]

Use in horticulture

Both subspecies of this verticordia have been propagated from cuttings and successfully grown in gardens but are inclined to attack by fungus. A better understanding of its requirements is needed before it is available in general horticulture. [2]

Related Research Articles

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

Verticordia insignis is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an open, irregularly-branched shrub with small leaves and heads of relatively large pink, or white and pink flowers on the ends of the branches in spring.

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 brevifolia 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 shortly cylindrical leaves and bright yellow flowers which turn red as they age. There are two subspecies, both of which have limited distributions and a priority conservation rating.

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.

<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 staminosa</i> Species of shrub

Verticordia staminosa is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub comprising two subspecies, one of which has two varieties. All three types have a limited distribution and have been classified as "Threatened". It is distinguished from other species of verticordia by its prominent, long stamens which extend well beyond its feathery yellow sepals and petals.

<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 dasystylis 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 many stems at its base, oblong leaves and scented, fluffy, yellow and white flowers. There are three subspecies, each of which has a priority conservation status.

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 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 fimbrilepis <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> fimbrilepis</i> Subspecies of flowering plant

Verticordia fimbrilepis subsp. fimbrilepis 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.

Verticordia fimbrilepis subsp. australis, commonly known as southern shy 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 one openly branched main stem at its base, small, pointed leaves and rounded groups of pink flowers near the ends of the branches.

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.

<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.

<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 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 oxylepis</i> Species of flowering plant

Verticordia oxylepis, commonly known as bonsai 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, often with a layered appearance, small leaves and very small yellow and pink flowers.

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

Verticordia tumida, commonly known as summer featherflower, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the north-west of Western Australia. It is an open shrub with very small leaves and clusters of deep pink flowers from late spring to early winter.

<i>Boronia inornata</i> Species of plant

Boronia inornata, commonly known as desert boronia, is a plant in the citrus family, Rutaceae and is endemic to southern Australia. It is an erect shrub with three-part leaves and pink, red or white, four-petalled flowers.

Pultenaea calycina is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to near-coastal areas in the south of Western Australia. It is an erect, spindly shrub with flat or more or less cylindrical, grooved leaves and yellow and orange flowers.

References

  1. 1 2 "Verticordia multiflora". APNI. Retrieved 6 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. 262–265. ISBN   1-876268-46-8.
  3. Turczaninow, Nikolai (1847). "Decas tertia generum adhuc non descriptorum, adjectis descriptionibus nonnullarum specierum Myrtacearum xerocarpicarum atque Umbelliferarum imperfectarum". Bulletin de la Société Impériale des Naturalistes de Moscou. 20 (1): 159–160.
  4. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 28.
  5. "Verticordia multiflora subsp. multiflora". APNI. Retrieved 6 July 2016.
  6. 1 2 George, Alex (1991). "New taxa, combinations and typifications in Verticordia (Myrtaceae : Chamelaucieae)". Nuytsia. 7 (3): 231–394.
  7. "Verticordia multiflora subsp. solox". APNI. Retrieved 6 July 2016.
  8. "Verticordia multiflora solox". 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.
  10. "Verticordia multiflora multiflora". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.