Adenanthos pungens explained

Adenanthos pungens, the spiky adenanthos, is a species of shrub in the family Proteaceae. It is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia.

Description

The species may be prostrate or erect in habit. The stiff, prickly and terete leaves are 30 mm in length and 1 to 2 mm in diameter. The flowers appear in clusters at the ends of the branchlets. These have a 30 mm long perianth which is either pale pink and cream or deeper pink. Styles are about 40 mm long, with or without hairs at the tips.

The species was first formally described in 1845 in Plantae Preissianae by Carl Meissner.

Subspecies

There are two recognised subspecies:

• A. pungens subsp. effusus - erect habit with dark pink flowers.
• A. pungens subsp. pungens - prostrate habit with pale pink flowers.

Both subspecies are highly susceptible to Phytophthora cinnamomi dieback.^[1]

External links

• • • Web site: Adenanthos pungens . Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government, Canberra.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Part 2, Appendix 4: The responses of native Australian plant species to Phytophthora cinnamomi . Department of the Environment and Heritage, Australian Government . Management of Phytophthora cinnamomi for Biodiversity Conservation in Australia . 12 February 2015 . 2006 . PDF.