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Kunzea acicularis

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Kunzea acicularis

Declared rare (DEC)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Kunzea
Species:
K. acicularis
Binomial name
Kunzea acicularis
Toelken & G.F.Craig[1]

Kunzea acicularis is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with a few erect stems, small and groups of three to five, pink to mauve flowers. It is a rare, recently described species only known from a small area near Ravensthorpe.

Description

Kunzea acicularis is a shrub which grows to a height of up to 2 m (7 ft), with a few erect, irregularly-branched stems which are covered with fine hairs when young. The leaves are egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, densely hairy, 3.5–6 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long, about 2 mm (0.08 in) wide, with a stalk less than 1 mm (0.04 in) long.[2][3]

Three to five pink to mauve flowers are arranged in groups on the ends of branches. The flowers are surrounded by hairy, narrow triangular bracts and bracteoles about 3 mm (0.1 in) long and 1 mm (0.04 in) wide. The sepals are about 2 mm (0.08 in) long and hairy and the five petals are 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long and almost round. There are about 26 stamens which are usually longer than the petals and a style 6–7 mm (0.24–0.28 in) long. Flowering occurs in October and November and is followed by fruit which are hairy urn-shaped capsules with the sepals attached.

Taxonomy and naming

This species was first formally described in 2007 by Hellmut Toelken and Gil Craig and the description was published in Nuytsia.[1] The specific epithet (acicularis) is a Latin word meaning "like a needle"[4] referring to the needle-like bracts.[2]

Distribution and habitat

This kunzea grows in mallee and heath on hills and slopes north-east of Ravensthorpe in the Esperance Plains biogeographic region.[5]

Conservation

Kunzea acicularis is classified as "Threatened Flora (Declared Rare Flora — Extant)" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife[5] and an interim recovery plan has been prepared.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b "Kunzea acicularis". APNI. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  2. ^ a b Toelken, Hellmut R.; Craig, Gil F. (2007). "Kunzea acicularis, K. strigosa and K. similis subsp. mediterranea (Myrtaceae) – new taxa from near Ravensthorpe, Western Australia". Nuytsia. 17: 392–393.
  3. ^ a b Luu, Robyn; Brown, Andrew. "(Kunzea acicularis) Interim Recovery Plan" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  4. ^ Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 553.
  5. ^ a b "Kunzea acicularis". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.