Crowea exalata

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Crowea exalata
Crowea exalata.jpg
In Maranoa Gardens
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Rutaceae
Genus: Crowea
Species:
C. exalata
Binomial name
Crowea exalata
Synonyms [1]
  • Eriostemon croweiF.Muell. nom. illeg., nom. superfl. p.p.
  • Eriostemon croweiF.Muell. var. crowei
  • Eriostemon crowei var. exalata(F.Muell.) Maiden & Betche

Crowea exalata, commonly known as small crowea or waxflower, [2] is a flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to the states of Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria in Australia. It is an attractive small shrub and is a popular garden plant. It flowers mainly from late summer to mid-winter when few others are flowering but usually has some flowers at other times of the year.

Contents

Description

Crowea exalata is a small shrub, growing to a height of about 1 metre (3 ft) with thin branches, often spreading to more than 1 metre (3 ft). Its leaves are narrow oblong to narrow egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base and are 15–50 millimetres (0.6–2 in) long and 1–6 millimetres (0.04–0.2 in) wide. They have many oil glands and have a characteristic scent when crushed. [2] [3] [4] [5]

The star-like flowers appear on the ends of the branches or in the axils of the leaves on a stalk 2–4 millimetres (0.08–0.2 in) long. The five petals are egg-shaped, about 10 millimetres (0.4 in) and usually pink, sometimes white and a range of colours in the cultivars. The stamens in the centre of the flower almost overlap. Flowering occurs mainly from mid-summer to late winter but flowers can be present most of the year. The fruits that follow are dry and have 5 compartments which open to release 2 seeds each. [2] [3] [4] [5]

Taxonomy and naming

Crowea exalata was first formally described by Ferdinand von Mueller in 1854. The description was published in Transactions of the Philosophical Society of Victoria. [6] The specific epithet (exalata) is derived from the Latin ex- meaning "out of" [7] :310 and alata meaning "winged", [7] :858 hence "wingless". [2]

Four subspecies are recognised by the Australian Plant Census as at November 2020:

Cultivars include: [12]

Distribution and habitat

Small crowea occurs in New South Wales, Victoria and south east Queensland. It is found on the east coast, ranges and the slopes on the western side of the ranges. [4] [13] It grows in dry sclerophyll forest in sandy soil. [4]

Use in horticulture

Crowea exalata is widely cultivated and is usually available in Australian native plant nurseries. It grows best in light soil, partly shaded from the sun and is an ideal rockery plant. [2] It is a hardy plant, especially when supplied with well-mulched soil and adequate water. Propagation is easier from cuttings because seeds must be nicked and held under running water for several weeks before sowing. [14]

Related Research Articles

<i>Crowea saligna</i> Species of flowering plant

Crowea saligna, commonly known as willow-leaved crowea, is a plant in the rue family, Rutaceae and is endemic to eastern New South Wales in Australia. It is a small shrub with attractive, pink, star-shaped flowers and is commonly cultivated.

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

Crowea is a genus of small evergreen shrubs in the family Rutaceae, sometimes known as waxflowers. There are three species and many subspecies and cultivars, all of which are popular as ornamentals because of their abundant, attractive flowers which often occur during autumn and winter. Crowea species are all endemic to Australia, where they occur in Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia.

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<i>Eremophila maculata</i> Species of plant

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<i>Eremophila decipiens</i> Species of plant

Eremophila decipiens, commonly known as slender fuchsia bush or narrow-leaved fuchsia bush is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to an area extending from the south-west of Western Australia to southern parts of South Australia. It is low, sprawling shrub with lance-shaped leaves and red, orange or yellow flowers on a long, S-shaped stalk.

<i>Eremophila fraseri</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila fraseri, commonly known as burra or jilarnu, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a shrub or small tree with all above-ground parts of the plant, apart from the petals, sticky and shiny due to the presence of a large amount of resin. The petals are coloured white, cream, pink and brown.

<i>Phebalium squamulosum</i> Species of shrub

Phebalium squamulosum , commonly known as scaly phebalium or forest phebalium, is a species of shrub or slender tree that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has smooth branches covered with rust-coloured scales, linear to elliptical or egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and pale to bright yellow flowers in umbels with rust-coloured or silvery scales on the back.

<i>Melaleuca fulgens</i> Species of plant

Melaleuca fulgens, commonly known as the scarlet honey myrtle, is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory. It is notable for its showy orange, red or purple flowers, unusual foliage and fruit, and is a popular garden plant. It is a member of Melaleuca, a large and diverse genus whose members range from large trees such as M. quinquenervia, to small shrubs.

<i>Philotheca salsolifolia</i> Species of flowering plant

Philotheca salsolifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. It is a shrub with crowded, more or less cylindrical leaves and pink to mauve flowers with a dark central stripe and arranged singly or in twos or threes on the ends of branchlets.

<i>Asterolasia asteriscophora</i> Species of flowering plant

Asterolasia asteriscophora, commonly known as lemon starbush, is a species of slender, erect shrub in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to southern continental Australia. It has woolly, star-shaped hairs on its young branches, variably-shaped leaves covered with brownish or whitish hairs on the underside, and yellow flowers with woolly brown, star-shaped hairs on the back.

<i>Crowea angustifolia</i> Species of flowering plant

Crowea angustifolia is a flowering plant in the family Rutaceae, and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub growing to 3 m (10 ft) high by 1.0 m (3 ft) in diameter with white or pink flowers in spring.

<i>Boronia deanei</i> Species of flowering plant

Boronia deanei, commonly known as Deane's boronia, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to the central and southern highlands of New South Wales. It is an erect shrub with crowded, strongly aromatic leaves and white to bright pink flowers in late winter and spring.

<i>Philotheca angustifolia</i> Species of plant

Philotheca angustifolia, commonly known as narrow-leaf wax flower, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a shrub with small leaves and white flowers with five egg-shaped petals in spring.

<i>Philotheca brucei</i> Species of shrub

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.

Phebalium brevifolium is a species of small shrub that is endemic to Western Australia. It has warty branchlets, sessile, wedge-shaped leaves and up to three white flowers arranged in umbels.

<i>Phebalium longifolium</i> Species of shrub

Phebalium longifolium is a species of shrub that is endemic to far north Queensland. It is more or less covered with silvery to rust-coloured scales and has smooth branchlets, narrow elliptical to narrow lance-shaped leaves and cream-coloured flowers in umbels on the ends of branchlets. It grows in the boundary between forest and rainforest in tropical areas.

<i>Phebalium verrucosum</i> Species of shrub

Phebalium verrucosum is a species of shrub that is endemic to New South Wales. It has branchlets densely covered with white scales, narrow elliptic, oblong or linear leaves covered with white scales on the lower side, and umbels of creamy white flowers with silvery or rust-coloured scales on the back of the petals.

<i>Philotheca epilosa</i> Species of plant

Philotheca epilosa is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a shrub with egg-shaped to lance-shaped leaves with the narrower end toward the base and crowded near the ends of the glandular-warty branchlets, and white flowers usually arranged singly on the ends of the branchlets.

<i>Philotheca gardneri</i> Species of plant

Philotheca gardneri is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with crowded, narrow club-shaped or more or less spherical leaves and white flowers with a prominent pink midrib, usually borne singly on the ends of branchlets.

<i>Philotheca scabra</i> Species of plant

Philotheca scabra is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It is a small shrub with variably shaped leaves, depending on subspecies, and single white to pink flowers arranged on the ends of branchlets.

References

  1. 1 2 "Crowea exalata". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Crowea exalata". Australian National Botanic Garden. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
  3. 1 2 Carolin, Roger; Tindale, Mary (1994). Flora of the Sydney region (4th ed.). Chatswood, NSW: Reed. p. 438. ISBN   0-7301-0400-1. OCLC   32821788.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Porteners, M.F.; Weston, P.H. "Crowea exalata". Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney, Plantnet. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
  5. 1 2 McCarthy, Norm. "Crowea exalata". Australian Native Plants Society Australia. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
  6. "Crowea exalata". APNI. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
  7. 1 2 Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
  8. "Crowea exalata subsp. exalata". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  9. "Crowea exalata subsp. magnifolia". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  10. "Crowea exalata subsp. obcordata". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  11. "Crowea exalata subsp. revoluta". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  12. "Crowea exalata". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity. Retrieved 2010-05-04.
  13. Gebert, Wayne A.; Duretto, Marco F. (2008). "Geographic variation in Crowea exalata (Rutaceae) and the recognition of two new subspecies". Telopea. 12 (2): 193.
  14. Wrigley, John W.; Fagg, Murray (1983). Australian native plants : a manual for their propagation, cultivation and use in landscaping (2nd ed.). Sydney: Collins. p. 203. ISBN   0-00-216575-9. OCLC   11208249.