Pimelea linifolia

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Slender rice flower
Pimelea linifolia detail.jpg
Pimelea linifolia growing near Burra
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malvales
Family: Thymelaeaceae
Genus: Pimelea
Species:
P. linifolia
Binomial name
Pimelea linifolia

Pimelea linifolia, commonly known as slender rice flower [2] is a common, variable shrub widespread throughout eastern Australia. It has narrow leaves arranged in opposite pairs, and usually white flowers arranged in heads of seven or more on the ends of the stems, with four lance-shaped bracts at the base of the inflorescence. The plant may be toxic to livestock.

Contents

Description

Pimelea linifolia is a variable shrub, sometimes prostrate, sometimes growing to a height of 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in), with glabrous stems. The leaves are glabrous, narrow egg-shaped to elliptic, 3–40 mm (0.12–1.57 in) long and 1–9 mm (0.039–0.354 in) wide. The flowers are white, sometimes pink, mostly 10–20 mm (0.39–0.79 in) long. They are arranged in heads of between seven and sixty on the ends of the stems, with four, sometimes eight bracts at the base. Some flowers are bisexual and others are female, the female flowers shorter. The bracts are sessile, lance-shaped to egg-shaped, 7–17 mm (0.28–0.67 in) long and 3–11 mm (0.12–0.43 in) wide. The fruit is green and 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) long. [2] [3] [4] [5]

Taxonomy and naming

Pimelea linifolia was first formally described in 1793 by James Edward Smith from a specimen that "flowered in the greenhouse of Lord Viscount Lewisham in February 1794". [6] [7] The specific epithet (linifolia) strictly means "thread-like leaf" but is also used for "linear leaf". [8]

Distribution and habitat

Slender rice flower is widespread and common in eastern Australia. It usually grows in wet forest, sometimes on the margin of rainforest. It occurs from north-east Queensland, through the eastern half of New South Wales, all but the far north-west of Victoria, the south-east of South Australia and throughout Tasmania. [2] [3] [4] [5] [9]

Ecology

This plant is suspected of being poisonous to sheep, but the evidence is inconclusive. [9]

Uses

The bark of P. linifolia can be processed into fine strong thread for catching the bogong moth. This string, called a 'Bushman's bootlace', is produced by a traditional method that involves wetting, drying, beating and rolling the material. [10]

Related Research Articles

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<i>Pimelea flava</i> Species of plant

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<i>Pimelea alpina</i> Species of shrub

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<i>Pimelea hewardiana</i> Species of plant

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<i>Pimelea serpyllifolia</i> Species of plant


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<i>Pimelea ligustrina</i> Species of plant

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<i>Cassinia subtropica</i> Species of flowering plant

Cassinia subtropica, commonly known as bushy rosemary, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to north-eastern Australia. It is shrub with woolly-hairy stems, lance-shaped to egg-shaped leaves and panicles of flower heads.

<i>Pimelea glauca</i> Species of shrub

Pimelea glauca, commonly known as smooth riceflower, is a species of flowering plant in the family Thymelaeaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It has elliptic to more or less lance-shaped or linear leaves and creamy-white flowers arranged in heads of seven or more on the ends of the stems, with four lance-shaped to egg-shaped bracts at the base of the inflorescence.

<i>Pimelea pauciflora</i> Species of shrub

Pimelea pauciflora, commonly known as poison rice-flower, is a species of shrub in the family Thymelaeaceae. It has small yellow-lime flowers and green, smooth fleshy leaves, and is endemic to Eastern Australia.

<i>Pimelea sylvestris</i> Species of shrub

Pimelea sylvestris is a species of flowering plant in the family Thymelaeaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with narrowly elliptic to elliptic leaves arranged in opposite pairs, and compact heads of white or pink flowers surrounded by 2 or 4 pairs of narrowly egg-shaped involucral bracts.

<i>Pimelea neoanglica</i> Species of shrub

Pimelea neoanglica, commonly known as poison pimelea or scanty riceflower, is a species of flowering plant in the family Thymelaeaceae and is endemic to inland areas of eastern Australia. It is an erect, dioecious shrub with narrowly elliptic leaves and heads of greenish-yellow flowers.

<i>Pimelea treyvaudii</i> Species of shrub

Pimelea treyvaudii, commonly known as grey rice-flower, is a species of shrub in the family Thymelaeaceae. It has white flowers in spherical heads at the end of branches and is endemic to eastern Australia.

<i>Pimelea curviflora</i> Species of plant

Pimelea curviflora, also known as curved rice-flower, is a shrub in the family Thymelaeaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a small, hairy shrub with greenish-yellow or red tubular flowers.

<i>Pimelea venosa</i> Species of plant

Pimelea venosa, commonly known as Bolivia Hill rice-flower, is a flowering plant in the family Thymelaeaceae and is endemic to a restricted area of New South Wales. It is an erect shrub with densely long-hairy stems and leaves, elliptic to lance-shaped leaves and small groups of white flowers.

Pimelea biflora, commonly known as matted rice-flower, is a species of flowering plant in the family Thymelaeaceae and is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It is a prostrate, mat-forming shrub with elliptic leaves and dark red flowers always arranged in pairs on the ends of branches.

<i>Pimelea bracteata</i> Species of shrub

Pimelea bracteata, is a species of flowering plant in the family Thymelaeaceae and is endemic to the south-west of New South Wales. It is a shrub with narrowly egg-shaped to elliptic leaves and pendulous, pale green heads of pale yellow flowers.

Pimelea drummondii is a species of flowering plant in the family Thymelaeaceae and is endemic to near-coastal areas of southern Western Australia. It is an erect, slender shrub with narrowly elliptic or elliptic leaves arranged in opposite pairs, and white or cream-coloured flowers surrounded by 3 or 4 pairs of pale green to yellowish involucral bracts.

<i>Pimelea phylicoides</i> Species of shrub

Pimelea phylicoides, commonly known as heath rice-flower, is a species of flowering plant in the family Thymelaeaceae and is endemic to southern continental Australia. It is an erect shrub with densely hairy young stems, narrowly egg-shaped to elliptic leaves, and heads of white flowers surrounded by 3 to 6 involucral bracts.

<i>Pimelea stricta</i> Species of plant

Pimelea stricta, commonly known as gaunt rice-flower, is a species of flowering plant in the family Thymelaeaceae and is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It is an erect shrub with narrowly elliptic or linear leaves, and compact heads of densely hairy, creamy-white to yellow flowers surrounded by 4 egg-shaped involucral bracts.

References

  1. ↑ "Pimelea linifolia". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 Harden, Gwen J. "Pimelea linifolia". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  3. 1 2 Rye, Barbara L. "Pimelea linifolia". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  4. 1 2 Entwisle, Tim J. "Pimelea linifolia". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  5. 1 2 "Pimelea linifolia". State Herbarium of South Australia. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  6. ↑ "Pimelea linifolia". APNI. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  7. ↑ Smith, James Edward (1793). A Specimen of the Botany of New Holland. Lambeth: J. Sowerby. pp. 31–33. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  8. ↑ Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 241. ISBN   9780958034180.
  9. 1 2 F.A.Zich; B.P.M.Hyland; T.Whiffen; R.A.Kerrigan (2020). "Pimelea linifolia". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants Edition 8 (RFK8). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government . Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  10. ↑ "2. Riceflower - Pimelea linifolia". Australian National Botanic Gardens. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
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