Verticordia pityrhops

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East Mount Barren featherflower
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. pityrhops
Binomial name
Verticordia pityrhops

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.

Contents

Description

Verticordia pityrhops is a shrub with a single, thick, densely branched main stem and a few side branches and which grows to a height of 20–60 cm (8–20 in) and 15–30 cm (6–10 in) wide, although some specimens grow to as high as 1.5 m (5 ft). Its leaves are dark green and crowded, narrow linear, almost needle-like, 7–14 mm (0.3–0.6 in) long with a pointed tip. [2] [3]

The flowers are scented and arranged in corymb-like groups near the ends of the branches, each flower on a stalk 2–4 mm (0.08–0.2 in) long. The floral cup is top-shaped, about 2 mm (0.08 in) long, smooth but hairy. The sepals are about 2 mm (0.08 in) long, spreading and pink, fading to white and have between 3 and 5 hairy lobes. The petals are a similar colour to the sepals, 2 mm (0.08 in) long, erect, egg-shaped, pimply on the outer surface and have a hairy fringe. The style is about 5 mm (0.20 in) long, curved and hairy near the tip. Flowering time is from February to June. [2] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

Verticordia pityrhops was first formally described by Alex George in 1991 and the description was published in Nuytsia . [1] [4] The specific epithet (pityrhops) is derived from the Ancient Greek words pitys meaning "pine" [5] : 699  and rhops meaning "a shrub" [5] : 659  referring to the habit of this species. Its common names include East Mount Barren featherflower, pine-like featherflower and little pine verticordia. [2]

George placed this species in subgenus Verticordia, section Verticordia along with V. crebra , V. helichrysantha , V. plumosa , V. stenopetala , V. sieberi , V. harveyi and V. fimbrilepis . [4]

Distribution and habitat

This verticordia only occurs in the Fitzgerald River National Park in the Esperance Plains biogeographic region where it grows in sand, sometimes with gravel amongst quartzite rocks, in heath and shrubland. [3] [6]

Conservation

Verticordia hughanii is classified as "Threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife [6] meaning that it is likely to become extinct or is rare, or otherwise in need of special protection. [7] It is also classed as "Endangered" (EN) under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and is included in the Fitzgerald Biosphere Recovery Plan. [8] East Mount Barren Featherflower is killed by fire and regenerates from seed. There have been fires in the region in 1989 and 2006 and the total population in 2008 was estimated to be more than 420 mature plants. The main threats to the species' survival are inappropriate fire regimes and dieback disease caused by the fungus Phytophthora cinnamomi . [3]

Use in horticulture

Propagation of this verticordia is difficult. Cuttings have to be taken during a narrow window and seed set is poor. The few that have been successfully grown in gardens did not flower for up to five years but when they did so, produced masses of perfumed flowers on a bushy shrub. [2]

Related Research Articles

Verticordia forrestii, commonly known as Forrest's featherflower, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the north-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with small, egg-shaped leaves and massed displays of scented pink to red flowers in spring.

<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.

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 halophila</i> Species of flowering plant

Verticordia halophila, commonly known as salt-loving featherflower, or salt-loving verticordia, 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 small, crowded, thick leaves and spikes of red and pink flowers in spring.

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 helichrysantha</i> Species of flowering plant

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.

<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 picta</i> Species of flowering plant

Verticordia picta, commonly known as painted featherflower or china cups, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small to medium sized shrub with pink and cupped flowers that are sweetly scented.

<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.

<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.

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.

<i>Verticordia inclusa</i> Species of shrub

Verticordia inclusa 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 small, thick leaves and groups of scented, mostly white to pale pink flowers with a red centre on the ends of the branches in spring.

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

Verticordia laciniata 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 linear, slightly hairy leaves and heads of scented, bright yellow flowers which turn red then bronze-coloured as they age.

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

Verticordia roei, commonly known as Roe's 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 narrow leaves and is often covered with masses of creamy-white coloured flowers in late spring.

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.

<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.

Verticordia vicinella is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with narrow leaves and groups of small, scented, pink or pale yellow flowers, growing near Esperance and in the Cape Arid National Park.

References

  1. 1 2 "Verticordia pityrhops". APNI. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Elizabeth A. (Berndt) George; Margaret Pieroni (illustrator) (2002). Verticordia: the turner of hearts (1st ed.). Crawley, Western Australia: University of Western Australia Press. pp. 334–335. ISBN   1-876268-46-8.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Approved Conservation Advice for Verticordia pityrhops" (PDF). Australian Government Department of the Environment. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  4. 1 2 George, Alex (1991). "New taxa, combinations and typifications in Verticordia (Myrtaceae : Chamelaucieae)". Nuytsia. 7 (3): 231–394.
  5. 1 2 Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
  6. 1 2 "Verticordia pityrhops". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  7. ↑ "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  8. ↑ "Fitzgerald Biosphere Recovery Plan" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of the Environment and Conservation. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
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