Zieria lasiocaulis

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Willi Willi zieria
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Rutaceae
Genus: Zieria
Species:
Z. lasiocaulis
Binomial name
Zieria lasiocaulis

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.

Contents

Description

Zieria lasiocaulis is a tall shrub or small tree which grows to a height of 6 m (20 ft) and has branches which are dotted with oil glands and which are strongly scented when bruised. Younger branches are covered with fine hairs. The leaves are composed of three leaflets with the central one elliptic to lance-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, 40–60 mm (2–2 in) long and 15–22 mm (0.6–0.9 in) wide with a petiole 17–21 mm (0.7–0.8 in) long. The leaves are more or less glabrous but strongly scented when crushed. The flowers are usually arranged in large groups, the groups shorter than the leaves. The sepals are triangular, about 1 mm (0.04 in) long and the four petals are white, about 4 mm (0.2 in) long, overlap at their bases and are covered with soft hairs. Flowering occurs from late autumn to spring and the fruits which follow in summer are glabrous and dotted with oil glands. [2] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

Zieria lasiocaulis was first formally described in 2002 by Jim Armstrong and the description was published in Australian Systematic Botany from a specimen collected on Mount Banda Banda. [1] According to Armstrong, the specific epithet (lasiocaulis) is derived from Greek lasio meaning "hairy" and caulis, meaning "stem", [4] referring to the long, simple hairs on the younger branches. [1] The ancient Greek word for "hairy" is lasios (λάσιος) and the word for "stem" is kaulos (καυλός). [5] Caulis is the Latin word for "stem". [6]

Distribution and habitat

Willi Willi zieria grows on rocky cliffs and on rainforest margins in the Willi Willi National Park, Werrikimbe National Park and New England National Park. [2]

Conservation

This zieria is classified as "endangered" under the New South Wales Threatened Species Conservation Act and the Commonwealth Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) Act. The main threat to the species is inappropriate fire regimes. [3] [7]

Related Research Articles

<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 aspalathoides</i> Species of flowering plant

Zieria aspalathoides, commonly known as the whorled zieria, heath zieria, hairy zieria or heathy zieria, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a heath-like shrub with leaves that appear to be whorled and with pink flowers in groups of three, each with four petals and four stamens.

<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 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.

Zieria cephalophila is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is only found on a single, isolated mountain in Queensland. It is a compact shrub with wiry branches, warty, three-part leaves and one to three white flowers, each with four petals and four stamens, in leaf axils.

Zieria distans is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is only found on a few isolated mountains in Queensland. It is a straggly shrub with wiry branches, warty, three-part leaves and clusters of up to about twenty small white flowers, each with four petals and four stamens, in the leaf axils.

Zieria exsul is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to a small area of southeast Queensland. It is an open, straggly shrub with hairy branches, three-part leaves and white flowers in groups of up to twelve, the groups longer than the leaves and each flower 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 graniticola is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is a dense, compact shrub with erect wiry branches, three-part leaves and pale pink flowers in groups of up to three, each with four petals and four stamens. It is only known from two population near Stanthorpe in Queensland, Australia.

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 odorifera</i> Species of flowering plant

Zieria odorifera, commonly known as the fragrant zieria, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to inland New South Wales. It is an aromatic shrub with ridged branches, leaves composed of three leaflets and groups of mostly three pale to deep pink, four-petalled flowers in spring.

<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 pilosa</i> Species of shrub

Zieria pilosa, commonly known as hairy zieria, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to coastal New South Wales. It is a shrub with hairy branches, leaves composed of three leaflets and usually only single white to pale pink flowers in the leaf axils.

Zieria rimulosa is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to north Queensland. It is a shrub with leaves composed of three leaflets, and with white flowers with four petals and four stamens. Unlike many other zierias, its leaves are neither rough, glandular or densely hairy.

<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 lasiocaulis". APNI. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  2. 1 2 Armstrong, James Andrew; Harden, Gwen. "Zieria lasiocaulis". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney: plantnet. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Conservation advice Zieria lasiocaulis Willi Willi zieria" (PDF). Australian Government Department of the Environment. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  4. Armstrong, J. A. (2002). Zieria (Rutaceae): a systematic and evolutionary study. Australian Systematic Botany, 15, 277-463
  5. Liddell, H.G. & Scott, R. (1940). A Greek-English Lexicon. Revised and augmented throughout by Sir Henry Stuart Jones with the assistance of Roderick McKenzie. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
  6. Lewis, C.T. & Short, C. (1879). A Latin dictionary founded on Andrews' edition of Freund's Latin dictionary. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
  7. Armstrong, James A. "Recovery plan for Zieria lasiocaulis". N.S.W. National Parks and Wildlife Service. Retrieved 31 July 2017.