Verticordia helichrysantha
Encyclopedia
Verticordia helichrysantha is a rare shrub found amongst heath on the southern coast of Western Australia
.
It is commonly referred to by the name Coast Featherflower.
The species is a small, woody shrub, ranging in height from 300–500 mm high. The habit is low growing, somewhat sprawling, and openly branched; it may possess one or several basal stems. The plant displays green and yellow flowers sometime between May and September; these are erect and are often irregular in arrangement. The grey-green leaves are 3–8 mm in length, may be crowded, and are somewhat rounded in their profile and blunt tip. The floral leaves are similar to those on the stem. The small pale leaves and flower parts are covered in short hairs that distinguish this taxon from other Verticordia.
Verticordia helichrysantha occurs in sand over spongolite
and limestone on coastal plains and cliffs. This species is found amongst coastal heath, along with cogenors Verticordia fastigiata and Verticordia habrantha
, at a western location of the Esperance Plains
region.
The distribution is restricted an area west of Mt. Barren to Cape Riche, it has been recorded once at a location near Kambellup. The species was not recorded between 1965, a record by Ken Newbey, and the rediscovery in 1982 by Norm Stevens for the Verticordia Reference Collection.
The first description of this species was published by George Bentham
in Flora Australiensis
. A specimen was collected by George Maxwell in the Phillips Range at an unknown date, this was nominated as the lectotype
by Alex George
.
The infrageneric arrangement of Verticordia
, published by George in 1991, has this species included within section
Verticordia sect. Verticordia
, which is contained by Verticordia subg. Verticordia
.
Another related species of the region, Verticordia crebra
, can be distinguished by its long and slender leaves, and the lack of hairs on its flower parts. This plant can also be differentiated from its Verticordia longistylis by its smaller leaves, variation is colouring, and less sprawling habit.
Verticordia helichrysantha has been declared, and gazetted, as rare taxa. The known populations are small and exposed to changes in land use.
This species does not possess a lignotuber
, and is therefore vulnerable to bushfire; the impact of deliberate burn-off has been recorded at the site of its rediscovery.
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...
.
It is commonly referred to by the name Coast Featherflower.
The species is a small, woody shrub, ranging in height from 300–500 mm high. The habit is low growing, somewhat sprawling, and openly branched; it may possess one or several basal stems. The plant displays green and yellow flowers sometime between May and September; these are erect and are often irregular in arrangement. The grey-green leaves are 3–8 mm in length, may be crowded, and are somewhat rounded in their profile and blunt tip. The floral leaves are similar to those on the stem. The small pale leaves and flower parts are covered in short hairs that distinguish this taxon from other Verticordia.
Verticordia helichrysantha occurs in sand over spongolite
Spongolite
Spongolite is a stone made almost entirely from fossilised sponges. It is light and porous.The silica spicules fossilised with the sponges makes the material hazardous to handle by being highly abrasive...
and limestone on coastal plains and cliffs. This species is found amongst coastal heath, along with cogenors Verticordia fastigiata and Verticordia habrantha
Verticordia habrantha
Verticordia habrantha is a species of slender and spreading shrub found in Southwest Australia.It is commonly referred to by the name Hidden Featherflower.Ranging in height from 0.15 to 0.7 metres high, the habit of the plant is spindly...
, at a western location of the Esperance Plains
Esperance Plains
Esperance Plains, also known as Eyre Botanical District, is a biogeographic region in southern Western Australia. Located on the south coast between the Avon Wheatbelt and Hampton regions, and bordered to the north by the Mallee region, it is a plain punctuated by granite and quartz outcrops and...
region.
The distribution is restricted an area west of Mt. Barren to Cape Riche, it has been recorded once at a location near Kambellup. The species was not recorded between 1965, a record by Ken Newbey, and the rediscovery in 1982 by Norm Stevens for the Verticordia Reference Collection.
The first description of this species was published 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 Flora Australiensis
Flora Australiensis
Flora Australiensis: a description of the plants of the Australian Territory, more commonly referred to as Flora Australiensis, and also known by its standard abbreviation Fl. Austral., is a seven-volume flora of Australia published between 1863 and 1878 by George Bentham, with the assistance of...
. A specimen was collected by George Maxwell in the Phillips Range at an unknown date, this was nominated as the lectotype
Lectotype
In botanical nomenclature and zoological nomenclature, a lectotype is a kind of name-bearing type. When a species was originally described on the basis of a name-bearing type consisting of multiple specimens, one of those may be designated as the lectotype...
by Alex George
Alex George
Alexander Segger George is a Western Australian botanist. He is the authority on the plant genera Banksia and Dryandra...
.
The infrageneric arrangement of Verticordia
Verticordia
Verticordia, a genus of the Myrtaceae family, are woody shrubs with small and exquisite flowers. They are mostly found in Southwest Australia, with several outlier species in northern regions. A revision of the genus in 1991 produced a classification within Verticordia of 3 subgenera, 24 sections,...
, published by George in 1991, has this species included within section
Section (botany)
In botany, a section is a taxonomic rank below the genus, but above the species. The subgenus, if present, is higher than the section, and the rank of series, if present, is below the section. Sections are typically used to help organise very large genera, which may have hundreds of species...
Verticordia sect. Verticordia
Verticordia sect. Verticordia
Verticordia sect. Verticordia is a section of Verticordia that describes a group of eight shrub species. The section is contained by the subgenus Verticordia subg. Verticordia in Alex George's 1991 infrageneric arrangement...
, which is contained by Verticordia subg. Verticordia
Verticordia subg. Verticordia
Verticordia subg. Verticordia is a botanical name for a grouping of similar plant species in the genus Verticordia. This subgenus contains eleven sections, classifying thirty six species, of Alex George's infrageneric arrangement. A number of anatomical features differentiate the contained species...
.
Another related species of the region, Verticordia crebra
Verticordia crebra
Verticordia crebra is a woody shrub found in Western Australia....
, can be distinguished by its long and slender leaves, and the lack of hairs on its flower parts. This plant can also be differentiated from its Verticordia longistylis by its smaller leaves, variation is colouring, and less sprawling habit.
Verticordia helichrysantha has been declared, and gazetted, as rare taxa. The known populations are small and exposed to changes in land use.
This species does not possess a lignotuber
Lignotuber
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...
, and is therefore vulnerable to bushfire; the impact of deliberate burn-off has been recorded at the site of its rediscovery.