Zieria murphyi

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Murphy's zieria
Zieria murphyi.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. murphyi
Binomial name
Zieria murphyi

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.

Contents

Description

Zieria murphyi is a slender shrub which grows to a height of 1–2 m (3–7 ft) and has smooth branches which are velvety when young. The leaves are sometimes a single leaflet and otherwise composed of three linear to lance-shaped leaflets. The leaves have a petiole 3–10 mm (0.1–0.4 in) long and the central leaflet is 30–49 mm (1–2 in) long and 3–10 mm (0.1–0.4 in) wide. The upper surface of the leaflets is dark green and covered with soft hairs whilst the lower surface in a lighter green and covered with velvety, star-like hairs. The flowers are white to pale pink and are arranged in groups of between three and nine in leaf axils, the groups shorter than the leaves. The sepals are triangular, about 2 mm (0.08 in) long and wide and the four petals are 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) long and covered with soft hairs. Flowering occurs mainly in August and September and is followed in summer by fruit which are smooth capsules, covered with soft hairs. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

Zieria murphyi was first formally described in 1940 by William Blakely and the description was published in The Australian Naturalist. The type specimen was collected by "Edward Murphy of Wingello" near Penrose. [1] The specific epithet (murphyi) honours the collector of the type specimen. [1]

Distribution and habitat

This zieria grows in open forest in sheltered sites, often below sandstone cliffs. It occurs near Mount Tomah, Penrose and Bundanoon. [2] [4]

Conservation

This zieria is classified as "vulnerable" under the New South Wales Threatened Species Conservation Act and the Commonwealth Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) Act. The largest populations in the Blue Mountains National Park and Morton National Park contain fewer than 1,000 individuals but the other populations are much smaller. Zieria murphyi only regenerates from seed and is therefore threatened by too frequent fires. [4]

Related Research Articles

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<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 laevigata</i> Species of flowering 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 flowering 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 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 covenyi</i> Species of flowering 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 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 furfuracea is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a shrub with three-part leaves and groups of large numbers of small white flowers, the groups shorter than the leaves. It grows on the coast and tablelands north from Wyong.

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 involucrata</i> Species of shrub

Zieria involucrata is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It is a sparse, erect shrub with mostly three-part leaves and groups of up to 21 small white flowers, the groups shorter than the leaves. It mostly occurs in the lower Blue Mountains, but is also known from other areas around Sydney.

<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 obcordata</i> Species of flowering plant

Zieria obcordata, commonly known as obcordate-leafed zieria, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and endemic to New South Wales. It is an aromatic, densely branched, rounded shrub with small, hairy, three-part leaves and up to three white to pale pink flowers with four petals and four stamens arranged in the leaf axils. It occurs in two disjunct populations in the central-west of the state.

<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 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 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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Zieria murphyi". APNI. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  2. 1 2 Armstrong, James; Harden, Gwen. "Zieria murphyi". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney; plantnet. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  3. Harden, Gwen J., ed. (2002). Flora of New South Wales. Volume 2 (revised ed.). Sydney: New South Wales University Press. pp. 287–288. ISBN   0868406090.
  4. 1 2 3 "Approved conservation advice for Zieria murphyi" (PDF). Australian Government Department of the Environment. Retrieved 4 August 2017.