Calothamnus superbus
| Calothamnus superbus | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Calothamnus |
| Species: | C. superbus |
| Binomial name | |
| Calothamnus superbus Hawkeswood & Mollemans | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Melaleuca superba (Hawkeswood & Mollemans) Craven & R.D.Edwards | |
Calothamnus superbus is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, often spreading, straggly shrub similar to Calothamnus aridus with its red flowers having 5 stamen bundles, but its leaves are longer and wider. It has a limited distribution near Pigeon Rocks south of Lake Barlee. (In 2014 Craven, Edwards and Cowley proposed that the species be renamed Melaleuca superba.)[1]
Description
Calothamnus superbus is an erect spreading shrub with many branches growing to a height of about 2.5 metres (8 ft). Its leaves are mostly 130–150 millimetres (5–6 in) long, 1.2–1.6 millimetres (0.05–0.06 in) in diameter, linear, circular in cross section and taper to a sharp point. There are prominent oil glands on the leaves.[2][3]
The flowers are red and arranged in small clusters of about 3 or about 10 in a loose spike between the leaves on the younger branches. The petals are 3–5 millimetres (0.1–0.2 in) long, thin, papery and orange to brown. The stamens are arranged in 5 claw-like bundles usually with 12 to 17 stamens per bundle. Flowering probably occurs in response to rainfall and is followed by fruits which are woody capsules, 5–7 millimetres (0.2–0.3 in) long and 7–9 millimetres (0.3–0.4 in) in diameter.[2]
Taxonomy and naming
Calothamnus superbus was first formally described in 1992 by Trevor Hawkeswood and Frans Mollemans in the botanical journal Nuytsia.[2][4] The specific epithet (superbus) is a Latin word meaning "proud", "superior" or "superb"[5] in reference to the leaves and stature of the plant in its location.[2]
Distribution and habitat
Calothamnus superbus occurs in the Pigeon Rocks area[2] in the Coolgardie biogeographic region where it grows in pebbly sand on sandplains.[6]
Conservation
Calothamnus superbus is classified as "Priority One" by the Western Australian government department of parks and wildlife,[7] meaning that it is known from only one or a few locations which are potentially at risk.[8]
References
- ↑ Craven, Lyn A.; Edwards, Robert D.; Cowley, Kirsten J. (30 June 2014). "New combinations and names in Melaleuca (Myrtaceae)". Taxon. 63 (3): 667. doi:10.12705/633.38. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Hawkeswood, Trevor J.; Mollemans, Frans H. (1992). "Calothamnus superbus T.J. Hawkeswood & F.H. Mollemans (Leptospermoideae: Myrtaceae), a new species from south-west Western Australia" (PDF). Nuytsia. 8 (3): 311–318. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
- ↑ "Calothamnus macrocarpus". FloraBase. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
- ↑ "Calothamnus superbus". APNI. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
- ↑ "superbus". Wiktionary. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
- ↑ Paczkowska, Grazyna; Chapman, Alex R. (2000). The Western Australian flora : a descriptive catalogue. Perth: Wildflower Society of Western Australia. p. 352. ISBN 0646402439.
- ↑ "Calothamnus superbus". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
- ↑ "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 4 August 2015.