Zieria citriodora

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Lemon-scented zieria
Zieria citriodora.jpg
Zieria citriodora in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Rutaceae
Genus: Zieria
Species:
Z. citriodora
Binomial name
Zieria citriodora
Synonyms
  • Zieria sp. D (aff. aspalathoides )
  • Zieria sp. 2 (sp. 'B'; Numeralla-Kybean Trig)
  • Zieria citriodora (Coveny 6590) J.A.Armstr. MS
Pink form Zieria citriodora pink form.jpg
Pink form

Zieria citriodora, commonly known as lemon-scented zieria, [1] is a species of flowering plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to a small area near the border between New South Wales and Victoria. It is a small shrub with lemon-scented leaves and small, pale pink or white flowers which appear from late winter to summer.

Contents

Description

Zieria citriodora is a low or rounded shrub which grows to 15–20 cm (6–8 in) high and 30 cm (1 ft) wide and which often grows from rhizomes. Its branches are dotted with oil glands and covered with short, soft hairs, often becoming glabrous with age. The leaves are composed of three leaflets with the central one linear or lance-shaped, 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long and 1.5–2 mm (0.06–0.08 in) wide with a petiole 2–4 mm (0.08–0.2 in) long. Each leaflet is dotted with oil glands, has a covering of short, soft hairs and has its edges more or less rolled under. The leaves are strongly lemon-scented when crushed. [3] [4] [5]

The flowers are arranged singly or in groups of up to three in leaf axils, the groups usually much longer than the leaves. The sepals are triangular, about 1.4 mm (0.06 in) long and hairy. The four petals are white to pale pink, 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) long, overlap at their edges and are covered with tiny, soft hairs. Flowering occurs from late winter to summer and the fruits which follow are hairy and dotted with oil glands. [3] [4] [5]

Taxonomy and naming

Lemon-scented zieria was first formally described in 2002 by James Armstrong from a specimen collected near the village of Numeralla and the description was published in Australian Systematic Botany . [2] [6] The specific epithet (citriodora) is derived from the Latin words citrus meaning "citron-tree" [7] :206 and odora meaning "having a fragrant smell." [7] :720

Distribution and habitat

Zieria citriodora mostly grows in shallow gravelly or sandy soils on moderately steep slopes in low eucalypt woodland. It is found in scattered populations in New South Wales and Victoria. In New South Wales, there are two populations which are restricted to the Kybeyan Range east of Cooma and in Victoria to four populations in East Gippsland. These populations are all within the South Eastern Highlands biogeographic region. [1] [4] [5]

Conservation

The total population of Z. citriodora in New South Wales is estimated to be less than 600 individual plants including about 150 plants on crown land near Numerella and another of 32 plants on private land near Kybeyan. A count in 2004 of the species in Victoria estimated a population size of about 260 plants, all in the Alpine National Park near Omeo. The main threats to the species are browsing by both native hervibores and domestic stock, pressure from rural residential development and altered fire regines. The species is listed as vulnerable under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. [4] [5]

Use in horticulture

Lemon-scented zieria is most easily propagated from cuttings and grows best in well-drained, acidic soil. It requires little fertilizer and is usually not affected by pests or disease if grown in well-drained soil. It is frost resistant and tolerates exposed and partly shaded positions. [8]

Related Research Articles

Zieria lasiocaulis, commonly known as Willi Willi zieria, is a rare species of flowering plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It is a tall shrub or small tree with three-part leaves and inconspicuous white flowers, found only at high altitudes in areas with a high rainfall.

<i>Zieria prostrata</i> species of plant

Zieria prostrata commonly known as headland zieria, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to the Coffs Harbour district in New South Wales, Australia. It is a prostrate shrub with leaves composed of three leaflets, and flowers with four pink to white petals. It is only known from four headlands and is classified as an endangered species.

<i>Zieria laevigata</i> species of plant

Zieria laevigata commonly known as smooth zieria, smooth-leaved zieria or twiggy midge bush is a species of flowering plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is an erect shrub with smooth, three-part leaves and pale pink or white flowers with four petals and four stamens. It grows in poor soil on rocky outcrops and flowers from late winter to spring.

<i>Zieria adenophora</i> species of plant

Zieria adenophora, commonly known as the Araluen Zieria is a plant in the family Rutaceae and is only found near Araluen in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales. It is a spreading shrub with small glossy, warty leaves and white or pink four-petalled flowers in spring. It is a rare plant with fewer than one hundred plants known from only one site.

<i>Zieria adenodonta</i> species of plant

Zieria adenodonta, commonly known as the Wollumbin zieria, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a dense, bushy shrub with leaves composed of three leaflets which are warty on the upper surface. In winter and early spring it has groups of five to eight flowers, each with four white petals, the groups usually shorter than the leaves.

<i>Zieria tuberculata</i> species of plant

Zieria tuberculata, commonly known as warty zieria, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to a small area on the south coast of New South Wales. It is a shrub with warty, hairy branches and leaves and large groups of creamy-white, four-petalled flowers in late winter to spring.

<i>Zieria baeuerlenii</i> species of plant

Zieria baeuerlenii, commonly known as the Bomaderry zieria, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to a small area on the south coast of New South Wales. It is a sometimes straggly shrub with velvety leaves composed of three leaflets. In late autumn to spring there are clusters of small white to pinkish flowers with four petals and which appear to be unable to produce seeds.

<i>Zieria buxijugum</i> species of plant

Zieria buxijugum, commonly known as the Box Range zieria, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to a small area on the south coast of New South Wales. It is a dense, rounded shrub with strongly scented, velvety, clover-like leaves composed of three leaflets. In early spring there are large clusters of small white flowers with four petals near the ends of the branches.

<i>Zieria caducibracteata</i> species of plant

Zieria caducibracteata is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It is a tall shrub or small tree with leaves composed of three lance-shaped leaflets. In early spring there are clusters of small white flowers with four petals near the ends of the branches.

<i>Zieria covenyi</i> species of plant

Zieria covenyi, commonly known as the Coveny's zieria, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to a small area in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales. It is an erect shrub which multiples asexually from root suckers and has three-part, clover-like leaves and clusters of white to pink flowers with four petals and four stamens.

<i>Zieria floydii</i> species of plant

Zieria floydii, commonly known as the Floyd's zieria, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to the New England Tableland in New South Wales. It is an erect shrub with warty, hairy branches, three-part, clover-like leaves and clusters of creamy-white flowers with four petals and four stamens.

<i>Zieria formosa</i> species of plant

Zieria formosa, commonly known as the shapely zieria, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to a small area on the south coast of New South Wales. It is a dense, rounded shrub with velvety, clover-like leaves composed of three leaflets. In spring there are clusters of small, pale pink flowers with four petals near the ends of the branches. It is similar to the Box Range zieria which has a similar distribution, but has wider leaflets and an appendage on its anthers.

Zieria hindii, commonly known as the Hind's zieria, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to a small area in north-eastern New South Wales. It is an erect, slender shrub with warty branches, three-part, clover-like leaves, and clusters of small white flowers with four petals and four stamens. It is only known from the Nightcap Range.

<i>Zieria ingramii</i> species of plant

Zieria ingramii, commonly known as Keith's zieria, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to a small area in central New South Wales. It is a slender, spindly, aromatic shrub with three-part, clover-like leaves and clusters of about seven white to pale pink flowers with four petals and four stamens. The species is only known from two state forests near Dubbo.

<i>Zieria murphyi</i> species of plant

Zieria murphyi, commonly known as Murphy's zieria, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and endemic to New South Wales. It is a slender shrub with simple, or three-part leaves and between three and nine white to pale pink flowers with four petals and four stamens arranged in the leaf axils. It usually grows in sheltered places in open forest, often at the base of cliffs.

<i>Zieria oreocena</i> species of plant

Zieria oreocena, commonly known as Grampians zieria, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to Victoria. It is a spindly shrub with glabrous, three-part, clover-like leaves and clusters of up to thirty white flowers with four petals and four stamens. It is a rare species, only found in the northern Grampians.

<i>Zieria parrisiae</i> species of plant

Zieria parrisiae, commonly known as Parris' zieria, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to a small area near Pambula on the south coast of New South Wales. It is a bushy shrub with warty, clover-like leaves composed of three leaflets and in spring there are clusters of up to 24 white to pale yellow flowers with four petals, near the ends of the branches.

<i>Zieria southwellii</i> species of plant

Zieria southwellii is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a large shrub or small tree with its leaves composed of three leaflets, and has groups of large numbers of flowers with four white petals, the groups shorter than the leaves. It grows near rainforest in northern New South Wales and far south-eastern Queensland.

<i>Zieria veronicea</i> species of plant

Zieria veronicea, commonly known as the pink zieria, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a small, lemon-scented shrub densely covered with velvety hairs. Up to three flowers with four pink petals appear in leaf axils in late spring.

Zieria verrucosa is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to a small area of Queensland. It is a densely-branched, hairy shrub with three-part, clover-like leaves and large groups of creamy-white to pink, four-petalled flowers.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Zieria citriodora (Lemon-scented zieria)". Australian Government Department of the Environment and Energy. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
  2. 1 2 "Zieria citriodora". APNI. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
  3. 1 2 Armstrong, James Andrew; Harden, Gwen. "Zieria citriodora". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney: plantnet. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Zieria citriodora (a shrub) - endangered species listing". New South Wales Government, Department of Environment and Heritage. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Sutter, Geoff. "National recovery plan for the lemon-scented zieria "Zieria citriodora" (PDF). Australian Government Department of the Environment. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
  6. Armstrong, Jim A. (2002). "The genus Zieria (Rutaceae): a systematic and evolutionary study". Australian Systematic Botany. 15 (3): 277–463. doi:10.1071/SB00040.
  7. 1 2 Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
  8. Jenkins, Jacqueline. "Zieria citriodora". Australian National Botanic Gardens. Retrieved 13 January 2017.