Spiked featherflower | |
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Verticordia spicata subsp. spicata | |
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. spicata |
Binomial name | |
Verticordia spicata | |
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.
Verticordia spicata is an upright to spreading shrub 0.3–1 m (1–3 ft), sometimes 2 m (7 ft) tall with one main stem at its base. The leaves are densely arranged along the branches, mostly closely clasping the stem. The leaves are broadly egg-shaped, 1.5–3.5 mm (0.06–0.1 in) with prominent oil glands and have narrow, translucent and slightly hairy margins. [2]
The flowers are scented and arranged in spike-like groups on the upper part of the branching stems, each flower on a stalk less than 0.2 mm (0.008 in) long. The floral cup is top-shaped, 2 mm (0.08 in) long, glabrous with two green appendages, 1.9 mm (0.07 in) long. The sepals are pale pink to mauve, spreading, 3–5.5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long, with 6 or 7 feathery lobes and two ear-like appendages on the sides. The petals are similar in colour to the sepals, 3–4.5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long and erect with long filaments on their ends. The style is 4–7 mm (0.16–0.28 in) long, curved and hairy near the tip. Flowering time is from October to January. [2]
Verticordia spicata was first formally described in 1859 by Ferdinand von Mueller from a specimen collected near the Murchison River by Augustus Oldfield. Mueller published the description in Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae . [1] [3] The specific epithet (spicata) is derived from the Latin word spica meaning "spike". [4]
When Alex George reviewed the genus in 1991, he 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. pennigera and V. hughanii . [5]
George also described two subspecies:
Spiked featherflower occurs between the Cooloomia Nature Reserve near the Murchison River Kalbarri National Park, Northampton and Mullewa in the Avon Wheatbelt, Carnarvon, Geraldton Sandplains and Yalgoo biogeographic regions. Scaly-leaved featherflower is confined to the eastern part of the range, between Three Springs and Morawa. Both subspecies grow in sandy soil, often over granite or sandstone in heath or shrubland. [2] [8] [9]
Verticordia spicata subsp. spicata is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife [10] but subspecies squasosa is classified as "Threatened Flora (Declared Rare Flora — Extant)" [11] and an Interim Recovery Plan has been prepared. [12] It has also been listed as "Endangered" (EN) under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). [13]
Propagation of both species has proven to be difficult, especially of subspecies squamosa. Subspecies spicata has been grown from cuttings, seed and by grafting onto Darwinia citriodora rootstock. Mature shrubs have been ornamental and sometimes survived for 14 years. [2]
Eremophila oldfieldii, commonly known as pixie bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a shrub or small tree with rough bark, broad, flat or narrow fleshy leaves and red, orange or yellow flowers.
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.
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.
Grevillea plurijuga is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to southern Western Australia. It is a prostrate to low-lying or dense mounded to erect shrub with divided leaves with linear lobes and loose clusters of hairy, red or pink flowers.
Grevillea nematophylla, commonly known as water bush or silver-leaved water bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is shrub or small tree with simple or pinnatisect leaves, the leaves or lobes linear, and branched, cylindrical clusters of cream-coloured flowers.
Eremophila willsii is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is an erect shrub with bright green, often serrated leaves and pinkish to deep pinkish-purple petals. It is mainly found in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and South Australia in deep sand.
Verticordia comosa 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, broad, almost round leaves and spikes of flowers that are pale yellow, sometimes with a white or pale pink centre.
Verticordia densiflora, commonly known as compacted 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 small leaves, usually small pink and white flowers and which is widespread in the south-west of the state. It is a variable species and in his 1991 paper, Alex George formally described five varieties.
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.
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".
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.
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 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.
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 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.
Cyanothamnus baeckeaceus is a plant in the citrus family, Rutaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a slender or straggling shrub with simple or trifoliate leaves and pink and white four-petalled flowers. It is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia.
Philotheca brucei is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a shrub with cylindrical leaves grooved along the top and in spring, white to pink or mauve flowers with five egg-shaped petals.
Hibbertia spicata is a species of flowering plant in the family Dilleniaceae and is endemic to the west of Western Australia. It is a low, erect to spreading shrub with scattered linear leaves with the edges rolled under and yellow flowers with six or seven stamens on one side of two softly-hairy carpels, and a larger number of staminodes.
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