Grevillea willisii
Encyclopedia
Grevillea willisii is a shrub species which is endemic to the eastern highlands of Victoria
, in Australia
. Common names include Omeo Grevillea and Rock Grevillea.
It has a spreading or habit, growing to between 2 and 4.5 metres high, and generally has a grey-green appearance. The leaves are slightly prickly and deeply lobed. Both the underside of the leaves and the stem are covered by dense, light-coloured hairs. Flowers appear in terminal spikes between September and January (early spring to mid summer) in its native range. These have cream perianth
s and pale yellow styles. The fruits have contrasting dark streaks.
The species was first formally described in 1975 in the journal Muelleria
. The specific epithet honours James Hamlyn Willis, the Government Botanist of Victoria.
Two forms are recognised:
A former subspecies G. willisii subsp. pachylostyla from the upper reaches of the Buchan River was promoted to species status (Grevillea pachylostyla
) in 1994.
G. willisii occurs on rocky granite outcrops and near streams.
The species has a ROTAP
listing as "2RC-". It is listed as "Rare in Victoria" on the Department of Sustainability and Environment's Advisory List of Rare Or Threatened Plants In Victoria.
s or chlorosis of the leaves. The species may be propagated
by semi-mature cuttings, which may take up to 5 months to produce roots.
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Common names include Omeo Grevillea and Rock Grevillea.
It has a spreading or habit, growing to between 2 and 4.5 metres high, and generally has a grey-green appearance. The leaves are slightly prickly and deeply lobed. Both the underside of the leaves and the stem are covered by dense, light-coloured hairs. Flowers appear in terminal spikes between September and January (early spring to mid summer) in its native range. These have cream perianth
Perianth
The term perianth has two similar but separate meanings in botany:* In flowering plants, the perianth are the outer, sterile whorls of a flower...
s and pale yellow styles. The fruits have contrasting dark streaks.
The species was first formally described in 1975 in the journal Muelleria
Muelleria
Muelleria is a peer-reviewed scientific journal on botany published by the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. It focuses on topics relating to plants, algae, and fungi in the southern hemisphere and Australia in particular. The journal was named in honour of Victorian Government botanist Ferdinand...
. The specific epithet honours James Hamlyn Willis, the Government Botanist of Victoria.
Two forms are recognised:
- A shorter-leaved (type) form. This occurs to the north and east of OmeoOmeo, VictoriaOmeo is a town in Victoria, Australia, located on the Great Alpine Road, east of Mount Hotham, in the Shire of East Gippsland. At the 2006 census, Omeo had a population of 452. The name is derived from the Aboriginal word for 'mountains' or 'hills'...
. - A longer-leaved form from the south of Corryong, which has scented flowers.
A former subspecies G. willisii subsp. pachylostyla from the upper reaches of the Buchan River was promoted to species status (Grevillea pachylostyla
Grevillea pachylostyla
Grevillea pachylostyla, commonly known as Buchan River Grevillea, is a shrub species which is endemic to the upper reaches of the Buchan River in the eastern highlands of Victoria, in Australia....
) in 1994.
G. willisii occurs on rocky granite outcrops and near streams.
The species has a ROTAP
ROTAP
Rare or Threatened Australian Plants, usually abbreviated to ROTAP, is a list of rare or threatened Australian plant taxa. Developed and maintained by the CSIRO, the most recent edition lists 5031 taxa. The list uses a binary coding system based on the IUCN Red List categories for "Presumed...
listing as "2RC-". It is listed as "Rare in Victoria" on the Department of Sustainability and Environment's Advisory List of Rare Or Threatened Plants In Victoria.
Cultivation
Plants may be grown to attract birds to a garden, providing both protection for nests and a source of nectar. Plants are occasionally affected by leaf minerLeaf miner
Leaf miner is a term used to describe the larvae of many different species of insect which live in and eat the leaf tissue of plants. The vast majority of leaf-mining insects are moths , sawflies and flies , though some beetles and wasps also exhibit this behavior.Like Woodboring beetles, leaf...
s or chlorosis of the leaves. The species may be propagated
Plant propagation
Plant propagation is the process of creating new plants from a variety of sources: seeds, cuttings, bulbs and other plant parts. Plant propagation can also refer to the artificial or natural dispersal of plants.-Sexual propagation :...
by semi-mature cuttings, which may take up to 5 months to produce roots.