Native tea | |
---|---|
V. pennigera in the Western Australian Herbarium | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Myrtales |
Family: | Myrtaceae |
Genus: | Verticordia |
Subgenus: | Verticordia subg. Eperephes |
Section: | Verticordia sect. Verticordella |
Species: | V. pennigera |
Binomial name | |
Verticordia pennigera | |
Verticordia pennigera, commonly known as native tea, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is usually a small erect or prostrate shrub with small leaves and lightly-scented spikes of pale pink to magenta-coloured flowers in spring.
Verticordia pennigera is a shrub, often with a spreading habit, which grows to 8–85 cm (3–30 in) high and 10–100 cm (4–40 in) wide and which has several main stems with many short, leafy side-branches. The leaves are linear to oblong, 2–4 mm (0.08–0.2 in) long and have a covering of fine hairs. [1]
The flowers are lightly scented and arranged in spike-like groups, each flower on a stalk, 1.5–3 mm (0.06–0.1 in) long. The floral cup is top-shaped, 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) long, glabrous, slightly warty and has two small green appendages. The sepals are pale pink to magenta-coloured, 3.5–4.5 mm (0.14–0.18 in) long, with 5 or 6 hairy lobes and two small ear-like appendages on the sides. The petals are similar in colour to the sepals, 3–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long and erect with short, coarse teeth along their top edge. The style is 4.5–5 mm (0.18–0.20 in) long and hairy near the tip. Flowering time is from September to December. [1]
Verticordia pennigera was first formally described in 1837 by Stephan Endlicher from a specimen collected near the Swan River by Charles von Hügel. The description was published in Enumeratio plantarum quas in Novae Hollandiae ora austro-occidentali ad fluvium Cygnorum et in sinu Regis Georgii collegit Carolus Liber Baro de Hügel . [2] [3] In his review of the genus Verticordia in 1991, Alex George selected a lectotype from the collections of James Drummond. [4] The specific epithet (pennigera) is derived from a Latin word meaning "feather-bearer". [5]
George placed this species in subgenus Eperephes, section Verticordella along with V. halophila , V. blepharophylla , V. lindleyi , V. carinata , V. attenuata , V. drummondii , V. wonganensis , V. paludosa , V. luteola , V. bifimbriata , V. tumida , V. mitodes , V. centipeda , V. auriculata , V. pholidophylla , V. spicata and V. hughanii . [4]
This verticordia usually grows in soils that are sandy or clay types and which are frequently gravelly or granitic. It occurs in a broad area from Kalbarri National Park to the Bremer River area [1] in the Avon Wheatbelt, Carnarvon, Esperance Plains, Geraldton Sandplains, Jarrah Forest, Mallee and Swan Coastal Plain biogeographic regions. [6] [7]
Verticordia halophila is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife. [6]
There is a wide variety of forms of native tea in cultivation, from open shrubs with rigid stems to prostrate, bushy forms. There is also some variation in the size and colour of the flowers. Propagation is usually from cuttings. Some forms adapt well to winter rainfall areas but all do best when grown in a sunny position in well-drained soil. [1]
Chorilaena quercifolia, commonly known as karri oak or chorilaena, is a species of bushy shrub that is endemic to the karri forests of south-west Western Australia. It is the sole species in the genus Chorilaena. It has papery, broadly egg-shaped leaves with lobed edges and variously-coloured flowers arranged in umbels of five, the sepals and petals hairy on the outside and the stamens protruding beyond the petals.
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 huegelii, 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 sometimes an erect shrub, sometimes sprawling to almost prostrate. It has linear leaves and very feathery flowers in spring. The flowers are usually cream-coloured or white, becoming pinkish and reddish or maroon as the flowers age, giving a variegated appearance to the display.
Darwinia citriodora, commonly known as lemon-scented darwinia or lemon scented myrtle, is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with oblong to lance-shaped leaves and red, yellow and orange flowers over an extended period. It is a hardy plant in well-drained soil, is often cultivated and used as a rootstock for less hardy species.
Eutaxia parvifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to southwestern Western Australia. It is a shrub with reddish brown stems, elliptic to egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and mostly yellow, red or orange flowers, with yellow red or orange markings.
Verticordia huegelii var. huegelii, 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 an upright, slender or bushy shrub, with creamish-white flowers turning pink or reddish maroon as they age, giving the plant a variegated appearance. It is similar to Verticordia huegelii var. decumbens but is more upright than that variety and lacks a lignotuber.
Verticordia huegelii var. decumbens, 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 an almost prostrate shrub, with creamish-lemon coloured flowers turning pink then red as they age, giving the plant a variegated appearance. It is similar to Verticordia huegelii var. huegelii but has a lignotuber and a lower growth habit.
Verticordia huegelii var. tridens, 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 slender, open, sometimes straggly shrub with bright yellow flowers which age to red and then brown and differently-shaped staminodes from the other varieties of the species.
Leptospermum spinescens, commonly known as the spiny tea tree, is a species of spiny shrub that is endemic to Western Australia. It has thick, egg-shaped to elliptical leaves on a short petiole, white or greenish cream flowers, and fruit that remain in the plant for years after reaching maturity.
Boronia cymosa, commonly known as granite boronia, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with linear, more or less cylindrical leaves and groups of relatively small, pink four-petalled flowers arranged on branched flowering stems.
Philotheca brevifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to a small area in south-western New South Wales. It is a spreading shrub with fleshy, sessile, cylindrical leaves and white to pink flowers arranged singly or in small groups on the ends of branchlets.
Hemiandra linearis, commonly known as speckled snakebush, is a species of prostrate to ascending shrub that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia.
Comesperma integerrimum is a twining shrub or climber in the family Polygalaceae.
Goodenia fasciculata is a species of flowering plant in the family Goodeniaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It an ascending shrub with bunched, narrow linear stem leaves and spikes of white flowers.
Hibbertia perfoliata is a species of flowering plant in the family Dilleniaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a weak, ascending or prostrate, spreading shrub that typically grows to a height of up to 40 cm (16 in). It flowers from September to December or from January to March and has yellow flowers. The species was first formally described in 1837 by Stephan Endlicher from an unpublished description by Charles von Hügel and Endlicher's description was published in his book Enumeratio plantarum quas in Novae Hollandiae ora austro-occidentali ad fluvium Cygnorum et in sinu Regis Georgii collegit Carolus Liber Baro de Hügel. The specific epithet (perfoliata) means "perfoliate".
Kennedia carinata is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a prostrate shrub with trifoliate leaves and reddish-purple, pea-like flowers.
Lasiopetalum cordifolium, is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with hairy stems, heart-shaped leaves and pink, cream-coloured or white flowers.
Sphaerolobium alatum is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is a slender, leafless shrub with yellow and reddish-brown flowers from September to November.
Sphaerolobium grandiflorum is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is an erect, slender, leafless shrub with red, yellow and orange flowers.
Sphaerolobium linophyllum is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is a prostrate to ascending shrub with a few narrowly linear leaves and red, yellow and orange flowers.