Beaufortia eriocephala
| Beaufortia eriocephala | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Beaufortia |
| Species: | B. eriocephala
|
| Binomial name | |
| Beaufortia eriocephala | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Melaleuca lachnocephala Craven & R.D.Edwards | |
Beaufortia eriocephala, commonly known as woolly bottlebrush or woolly beaufortia, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It differs from other beaufortias in having woolly red flowers and hairy younger leaves, with mature leaves that are less than 1 mm (0.04 in) wide.
Description
Beaufortia eriocephala is a compact shrub which grows to a height of 0.5 m (2 ft) and 0.4 m (1 ft) wide. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs and are linear to narrowly lance-shaped, 5–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long and 0.4–0.7 mm (0.02–0.03 in) long. The leaves are hairy but become glabrous with age.[1][2][3]
The flowers are arranged in almost spherical heads on the ends of branches which continue to grow after flowering. The flowers have 5 sepals, 5 petals and 5 bundles of stamens. The stamen bundles contain 3 to 5 stamens each, with the joined part deep red, hairy and 2.5–3.5 mm (0.098–0.14 in) long. The free part of the stamens is red to purple and a further 3–4.5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long. Flowering occurs from October to December and is followed by fruits which are woody capsules 8.5–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long.[1][2][3]
Taxonomy and naming
Melaleuca eriocephala was first formally described in 1905 by the Australian botanist, William Vincent Fitzgerald in Journal of the West Australian Natural History Society.[4] The specific epithet ("eriocephala") is from the Ancient Greek ἔριον (érion) meaning "wool"[5]: 864 and κεφαλή (kephalḗ) meaning "head".[5]: 399
Distribution and habitat
Beaufortia eriocephala occurs in the Avon Wheatbelt, Geraldton Sandplains, Jarrah Forest and Swan Coastal Plain biogeographic regions.[2] It grows on slopes in sandy soils derived from laterite.[6]
Conservation
Beaufortia eriocephala is classified as "Priority Three" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife,[2] meaning that it is poorly known and known from only a few locations but is not under imminent threat.[7]
References
- ^ a b Burbidge, Andrew A. (2016). "A taxonomic revision of Beaufortia (Myrtaceae: Melaleuceae)". Nuytsia. 27: 184–185.
- ^ a b c d "Beaufortia eriocephala". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
- ^ a b Fitzgerald, William Vincent (1905). "Some new species of West Australian Plants". Botanisches Centralblatt. 99: 599. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
- ^ "Melaleuca eriocephala". APNI. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
- ^ a b Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
- ^ Paczkowska, Grazyna; Chapman, Alex R. (2000). The Western Australian flora : a descriptive catalogue. Perth: Wildflower Society of Western Australia. p. 349. ISBN 0646402439.
- ^ "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 26 July 2016.