Zieria covenyi

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Covenyi's zieria
Zieria covenyi.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Rutaceae
Genus: Zieria
Species:
Z. covenyi
Binomial name
Zieria covenyi
J.A.Armstr. [1]

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.

Contents

Description

Zieria covenyi is an erect shrub which usually grows to a height of 2 m (7 ft) and only reproduces from root suckers. It has star-shaped hairs on its branches and leaves, at least when they are young. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs and are composed of three leaflets with the central one heart-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, 25–35 mm (0.98–1.4 in) long and 8–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) wide and with a petiole 7–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long. The leaflets are dark green with small oil glands on the upper surface and grey-green with soft hairs on the lower surface. [2] [3] [4]

White to pale pink flowers, 10–13 mm (0.4–0.5 in) in diameter are arranged in clusters of between 3 and 21 in leaf axils. The clusters are about the same length as the leaves. The sepals are triangular, about 4 mm (0.2 in) long and covered with soft hairs. The four petals are about 6 mm (0.2 in) long, overlap each other and have a layer of hairs on the outside and there are four stamens. Flowering occurs from October to December and although insects have been observed visiting the flowers they have not carried fertile pollen from this species and fruit has not been recorded. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

Covenyi's zieria was first formally described in 2002 by James Andrew Anderson from a specimen collected near Bomaderry Creek. The description was published in Australian Systematic Botany . [1] [5] The specific epithet (covenyi) honours the Australian herbarium collector, Robert George Coveny who, with James Armstrong, collected the type specimen. [1] [6]

Distribution and habitat

Zieria covenyi is only known from two populations totalling about 270 plants on Narrow Neck Peninsula in the Blue Mountains, where it grows in sandy soil in eucalypt woodland. [2] [3] [4]

Conservation

Covenyi's zieria is listed as "Endangered" under the New South Wales Threatened Species Conservation Act and under the Commonwealth Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) Act. Some of the threats to the species are habitat damage due to road maintenance, frequent fires and the inability of the species to reproduce from seed. [3] [4]

Related Research Articles

<i>Zieria</i> Genus of flowering plants

Zieria is a genus of plants in the family, Rutaceae. About sixty species have been formally described, all of which are endemic to Australia except for one species which is found in New Caledonia. They occur in all Australian states except Western Australia but the genus is under review and a number of species are yet to be described or the description published. Zierias are similar to the better known genus Boronia but can be distinguished by the number of stamens in the flowers. The name Zieria honours the Polish botanist John Zier.

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 citriodora</i> Species of plant

Zieria citriodora, commonly known as lemon-scented zieria, 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.

<i>Zieria adenodonta</i> Species of flowering 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 flowering 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 montana</i> Species of shrub

Zieria montana is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to a small area in south-east Queensland. It is a shrub with rough, ridged branches, leaves composed of three leaflets and groups of white, four-petalled flowers in spring and early summer.

<i>Zieria baeuerlenii</i> Species of flowering 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 flowering 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 shrub

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 cytisoides</i> Species of flowering plant

Zieria cytisoides, commonly known as the downy zieria, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a bushy shrub with three-part, clover-like leaves and small clusters of pale to deep pink flowers with four petals and four stamens.

<i>Zieria floydii</i> Species of flowering 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 flowering 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 flowering 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 littoralis</i> Species of flowering plant

Zieria littoralis, commonly known as dwarf zieria is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is an erect or spreading shrub with velvety, three-part, clover-like leaves and clusters of up to thirty white or pale pink flowers with four petals and four stamens. It grows on exposed, rocky coastal headlands.

<i>Zieria murphyi</i> Species of shrub

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 shrub

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 shrub

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.

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 covenyi". APNI. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 Armstrong, James Andrew; Harden, Gwen. "Zieria covenyi". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney: plantnet. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Coveny's Zieria - profile". Government of New South Wales Department of the Environment and Heritage. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Approved Conservation Advice for Zieria covenyi" (PDF). Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water (NSW), 2010. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  5. Armstrong, Jim A. (2002). "The genus Zieria (Rutaceae): a systematic and evolutionary study". Australian Systematic Botany. 15 (3): 337–341. doi:10.1071/SB00040.
  6. "Robert 'Bob' George Coveny (1943– )". Australian National Botanic Garden. Retrieved 15 January 2017.