Conospermum filifolium explained

Conospermum filifolium is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with thread-like, S-shaped leaves, and spike-like panicles of woolly white, occasionally blue, tube-shaped flowers.

Description

Conospermum filifolium is a shrub that typically grows up to tall. It has ascending, thread-like, usually more or less S-shaped leaves long and wide. The flowers are arranged in narrow, spike-like panicles with egg-shaped, blue bracteoles long and wide. The perianth is woolly and white, occasionally blue, forming a tube long. The upper lip is egg-shaped, long and wide, the lower lip joined for with lobes long and wide. Flowering time depends on subspecies.^[1]

Taxonomy

Conospermum filifolium was first formally described in 1845 by Carl Meissner in Lehmann's Plantae Preissianae from specimen collected near the Swan River by James Drummond.^{[2] [3]} The specific epithet (filifolium) means 'thread-leaved'.^[4]

Subspecies

In 1995, Eleanor Marion Bennett described two subspecies of Conospermum filifolium in the Flora of Australia, and the names are accepted by the Australian Plant Census:

• Conospermum filifolium subsp. australe E.M.Benn.^[5] has S-shaped, more or less spreading leaves and a perianth with a glabrous upper lip and flowers from August to October.^[6]
• Conospermum filifolium Meisn. subsp. filifolium^[7] has leaves that are more or less pressed against the stem, and a perianth with velvety or soft hairs on the upper lip, and flowers from August to November.^[8]

Distribution and habitat

This species of Conospermum is widespread on sand plain areas from south of Perth to Ravensthorpe in the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest, Mallee and Swan Coastal Plain bioregions. Subspecies australe occurs from the Stirling Range south-east to Ravensthorpe and subsp. filifolium occurs inland between Perth and Albany

Conservation status

Both subspecies of C. filifolium are listed as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Bennett . Edith M. . Conospermum filifolium . Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra . 4 August 2024.
2. Web site: Conospermum filifolium. APNI. 4 August 2024.
3. Book: Meissner . Carl . Lehmann . Johann G.C. . Plantae preissianae sive enumeratio plantarum quas in australasia occidentali et meridionali-occidentali annis 1838-1841 collegit Ludovicus Preiss . 1845 . Sumptibus Meissneri . Hamburg . 523 . 4 August 2024.
4. Book: Sharr . Francis Aubi . George . Alex . Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings . 2019 . Four Gables Press . Kardinya, WA . 9780958034180 . 198–199 . 3rd.
5. Web site: Conospermum filifolium subsp. australe . Australian Plant Census . 4 August 2024.
6. Web site: Bennett . Edith M. . Conospermum filifolium subsp. australe . Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra . 4 August 2024.
7. Web site: Conospermum filifolium subsp. filifolium . Australian Plant Census . 4 August 2024.
8. Web site: Bennett . Edith M. . Conospermum filifolium subsp. filifolium . Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra . 4 August 2024.