Conospermum stoechadis
Encyclopedia
Conospermum stoechadis, commonly known as Common Smokebush, is a shrub endemic to Western Australia
.
, from 0.3 to two metres high. It has slender needle-like leaves from two to 17 centimetres long and 0.6 to 2.25 millimetres wide, and panicle
s of white or grey flowers.
from the vicinity of King George Sound
. It has since had a fairly involved taxonomic history. In 1839, John Lindley
published a purported new species, C. sclerophyllum, but this has since been demoted to a subspecies of C. stoechadis. In 1848, Carl Meissner
published C. canaliculatum; this was demoted to a variety of C. stoechadis by George Bentham
in 1870, but has since between restored to specific rank. In 1919, Michel Gandoger
published two new species, C. elegantulum and C. proximum, but both of these have since been found to be synonymous with C. stoechadis. In each case, the current status was designated by Eleanor Bennett's 1995 treatment of Conospermum
for the Flora of Australia
series of monographs.
There are two subspecies: C. stoechadis subsp. sclerophyllum
and the autonym
C. stoechadis subsp. stoechadis.
, on sandplains throughout the Southwest Botanic Province, and also east as far as Southern Cross
.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
.
Description
It grows as an erect, multi-stemmed shrub, with a lignotuberLignotuber
A lignotuber is a starchy swelling of the root crown possessed by some plants as a protection against destruction of the plant stem by fire. The crown contains buds from which new stems may sprout, and a sufficient store of nutrients to support a period of growth in the absence of...
, from 0.3 to two metres high. It has slender needle-like leaves from two to 17 centimetres long and 0.6 to 2.25 millimetres wide, and panicle
Panicle
A panicle is a compound raceme, a loose, much-branched indeterminate inflorescence with pedicellate flowers attached along the secondary branches; in other words, a branched cluster of flowers in which the branches are racemes....
s of white or grey flowers.
Taxonomy
It was first published in 1838 by Stephan Endlicher, based on material collected by Charles von HügelCharles von Hügel
Charles von Hügel was an Austrian army officer, diplomat, botanist and explorer, now primarily remembered for his travels in northern India during the 1830s...
from the vicinity of King George Sound
King George Sound
King George Sound is the name of a sound on the south coast of Western Australia. Located at , it is the site of the city of Albany.The sound covers an area of and varies in depth from to ....
. It has since had a fairly involved taxonomic history. In 1839, John Lindley
John Lindley
John Lindley FRS was an English botanist, gardener and orchidologist.-Early years:Born in Catton, near Norwich, England, John Lindley was one of four children of George and Mary Lindley. George Lindley was a nurseryman and pomologist and ran a commercial nursery garden...
published a purported new species, C. sclerophyllum, but this has since been demoted to a subspecies of C. stoechadis. In 1848, Carl Meissner
Carl Meissner
Carl Daniel Friedrich Meissner was a Swiss botanist.Born in Bern, Switzerland on 1 November 1800, he was christened Meisner but later changed the spelling of his name to Meissner. For most of his 40 year career he was Professor of Botany at University of Basel...
published C. canaliculatum; this was demoted to a variety of C. stoechadis by George Bentham
George Bentham
George Bentham CMG FRS was an English botanist, characterized by Duane Isely as "the premier systematic botanist of the nineteenth century".- Formative years :...
in 1870, but has since between restored to specific rank. In 1919, Michel Gandoger
Michel Gandoger
Abbott Jean Michel Gandoger , was a French botanist and mycologist.. Gandoger was born in Arnas, the son of a wealthy vineyard owner in the Beaujolais region. Although he took holy orders at the age of 26, he devoted his life to the study of botany, specializing in the genus Rosa...
published two new species, C. elegantulum and C. proximum, but both of these have since been found to be synonymous with C. stoechadis. In each case, the current status was designated by Eleanor Bennett's 1995 treatment of Conospermum
Conospermum
Conospermum is a genus of 53 species in the family Proteaceae endemic to Australia. They are fairly widespread over the continent. They aren't particularly well-known to horticulture but some of the New South Wales species are known as smoke bushes....
for the Flora of Australia
Flora of Australia (series)
The Flora of Australia is a 59 volume series describing the vascular plants, bryophytes and lichens present in Australia and its external territories...
series of monographs.
There are two subspecies: C. stoechadis subsp. sclerophyllum
Conospermum stoechadis subsp. sclerophyllum
Conospermum stoechadis subsp. sclerophyllum is a shrub endemic to Western Australia.-Description:As with other forms of C. stoechadis, it grows as an erect, multi-stemmed shrub, with a lignotuber. It has slender needle-like leaves from two to 17 centimetres long and 0.6 to 2.25 millimetres...
and the autonym
Autonym (botany)
In botanical nomenclature, autonyms are automatically created names, as regulated by the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature . Autonyms are cited without an author. Relevant provisions are in articles 6.8, 22.1-3 and 26.1-3....
C. stoechadis subsp. stoechadis.
Distribution and habitat
It occurs on sand and lateriteLaterite
Laterites are soil types rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Nearly all laterites are rusty-red because of iron oxides. They develop by intensive and long-lasting weathering of the underlying parent rock...
, on sandplains throughout the Southwest Botanic Province, and also east as far as Southern Cross
Southern Cross, Western Australia
Southern Cross is a town in Western Australia, 371 kilometres east of Perth on the Great Eastern Highway. It was founded by gold prospectors in 1888, and gazetted in 1890. It is the major town and administrative centre of the Shire of Yilgarn...
.