Xanthorrhoea gracilis

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Xanthorrhoea gracilis
Xanthorrhoea gracilis.jpg
Xanthorrhoea gracilis at the Bridgetown Jarrah Park
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Asphodelaceae
Subfamily: Xanthorrhoeoideae
Genus: Xanthorrhoea
Species:
X. gracilis
Binomial name
Xanthorrhoea gracilis
Xanthorrhoea gracilis flower spike Xanthorrhoea gracilis gnangarra.JPG
Xanthorrhoea gracilis flower spike

Xanthorrhoea gracilis, commonly known as the graceful grasstree, grassboy or mimidi, [1] is a species of grasstree of the genus Xanthorrhoea native to Western Australia. [2]

Contents

Description

The tufted perennial grass tree typically grows to a height of 2 metres (7 ft) with no trunk, scape of 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) and the flower spike to 0.2 metres (1 ft). It blooms between October and January producing cream-white flowers. [2] Although the plant has no visible stem, branches form on the stem underground. There can be a single crown or many which have a loosely upright to decumbent tuft appearance. [3] The long slender green leaves are about 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) long, irregularly rounded depressed-obtrullate to depressed-cuneate in cross section, usually about 3 millimetres (0.12 in) wide and 1.5 mm (0.06 in) and are hairy at the base. [3]

Taxonomy

The species was first formally described by the botanist Stephan Endlicher in 1846 as part of Johann Georg Christian Lehmann's work Irideae. Plantae Preissianae. [4] X. gracilis is a close relative of Xanthorrhoea macronema from eastern Australia. [3]

Distribution

It his found along the west coast in the Wheatbelt, Peel, South West and along the south coast into the Great Southern region of Western Australia. It extends from Carnamah in the north to Plantagenet in the south-east where it grows in sandy-loamy soils with lateritic gravel. [2] It is mostly found as part of the jarrah forest ecosystem as part of the understorey. Canopy species include Eucalyptus marginata , E. calophylla and Allocasuarina fraseriana while substorey species include Banksia grandis , Persoonia elliptica , P. longifolia . Associated species in the understorey that are common include Anigozanthos humilis , Grevillea wilsonii and Hakea amplexicaulis . [5]

Cultivation

The plant can be grown from seed and prefers a position in full sun and is drought tolerant. [1] It is susceptible to Phytophthora dieback. [6] X. gracilis is able to resprout from subterranean buds following bushfire. [5] Seedlings are rarely seen in the wild as a result of being grazed upon by the western gray kangaroo. [7] The flowers are fragrant making the plant attractive to bees, butterflies and birds. It is suitable to grow in containers and is suitable for xeriscaping. [8]

Related Research Articles

<i>Eucalyptus marginata</i> Species of plant in the family Myrtaceae endemic to the south-west of Western Australia

Eucalyptus marginata, commonly known as jarrah, djarraly in Noongar language and historically as Swan River mahogany, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a tree with rough, fibrous bark, leaves with a distinct midvein, white flowers and relatively large, more or less spherical fruit. Its hard, dense timber is insect resistant although the tree is susceptible to dieback. The timber has been utilised for cabinet-making, flooring and railway sleepers.

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

Xanthorrhoea is a genus of about 30 species of flowering plants endemic to Australia. Species are known by the name grass tree.

<i>Phytophthora cinnamomi</i> Species of single-celled organism

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<i>Xanthorrhoea australis</i> Species of plant

Xanthorrhoea australis, the grass tree, austral grasstree or blackboy, is an Australian plant. It is the most commonly seen species of the genus Xanthorrhoea. Its trunk can grow up to several metres tall and is often branched. In certain Aboriginal languages, it is called bukkup, baggup or kawee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jarrah Forest</span> Bioregion in South West Western Australia.

Jarrah Forest, also known as the Southwest Australia woodlands, is an interim Australian bioregion and ecoregion located in the south west of Western Australia. The name of the bioregion refers to the region's dominant plant community, jarrah forest – a tall, open forest in which the dominant overstory tree is jarrah.

<i>Xanthorrhoea preissii</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Anopterus glandulosus</i> Species of tree

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Isopogon ceratophyllus, commonly known as the horny cone-bush or wild Irishman, is a plant of the family Proteaceae that is endemic to the coast in Victoria, South Australia and on the Furneaux Group of islands in Tasmania. It is a small woody shrub that grows to 100 cm high with prickly foliage. It is extremely sensitive to dieback from the pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi

<i>Adenanthos meisneri</i> Species of shrub in the family Proteaceae endemic to the south-west of Western Australia

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<i>Xanthorrhoea fulva</i> Species of flowering plant

Xanthorrhoea fulva is a species of grasstree of the genus Xanthorrhoea native to New South Wales and Queensland. It was previously regarded as a subspecies of Xanthorrhoea resinosa, but reclassified as a species in its own right in 1986.

Calothamnus gracilis is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a spreading shrub with upright foliage, common in heath within its range. It has long, thin leaves and produces dark red flowers at different times of the year, depending partly on rainfall. It is similar to Calothamnus gibbosus but lacks the corky bark on the older branches of that species and its flowers and fruit are not as deeply embedded in the bark.

Darwinia nubigena, commonly known as success bell or red mountain bell, is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with egg-shaped leaves arranged in opposite pairs, and groups of 4 or 5 pendent red flowers surrounded by larger green and red bracts.

<i>Xanthorrhoea drummondii</i> Species of flowering plant

Xanthorrhoea drummondii, commonly known as blackboy, grasstree or Drummond's balga, is a species of grasstree of the genus Xanthorrhoea native to Western Australia.

<i>Xanthorrhoea acanthostachya</i> Species of flowering plant

Xanthorrhoea acanthostachya is a species of grasstree of the genus Xanthorrhoea native to Western Australia.

Xanthorrhoea brevistyla is a species of grasstree of the genus Xanthorrhoea native to Western Australia.

<i>Xanthorrhoea brunonis</i> Species of flowering plant

Xanthorrhoea brunonis is a species of grasstree of the genus Xanthorrhoea native to Western Australia.

Xanthorrhoea nana, commonly known as dwarf grasstree, is a species of grasstree of the genus Xanthorrhoea native to Western Australia.

Xanthorrhoea platyphylla is a species of grasstree of the genus Xanthorrhoea native to Western Australia.

<i>Xanthorrhoea thorntonii</i> Species of plant

Xanthorrhoea thorntonii, commonly known as Cundeelee grasstree, Cundeelee blackboy, desert grasstree, yacka or grasstree, is a species of grasstree of the genus Xanthorrhoea native to central Australia. It is known to the Pitjantjatjara people as kata-kultu, kata-puru, ulpa or urara, the Warlpiri people as yurlurnkuru and the Arrernte as lunkere. X. thorntonii is the only grass tree found in Central Australia including the Great Sandy Desert, Great Victoria Desert and MacDonnell Ranges.

References

  1. 1 2 "Xanthorrhoea gracilis". Nindethana. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 "Xanthorrhoea gracilis". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  3. 1 2 3 "Xanthorrhoea gracilis Endl., in J.G.C.Lehmann, Pl. Preiss 2: 39 (1846)". Flora of Australia Online. Commonwealth of Australia. 1986. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  4. "Xanthorrhoea gracilis Endl". Atlas of Living Australia. Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  5. 1 2 Bernard Dell; J.J. Havel; N. Malajczuk (2012). The Jarrah Forest: A complex mediterranean ecosystem. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN   9789400931114.
  6. "Diagnosis for Phytophthora Dieback". Dieback Working Group. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  7. Mary Allessio; Leck, V.; Thomas Parker; Robert L. Simpson (2008). Seedling Ecology and Evolution. Cambridge University Press. ISBN   9781316583111.
  8. "Grass-Tree, Mimidi - Xanthorrhoea gracilis". Dave's Garden. Retrieved 5 June 2017.