Conospermum galeatum explained

Conospermum galeatum is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an open shrub with threadlike, channelled leaves, and panicles of spikes of woolly white flowers with blue bracteoles.

Description

Conospermum galeatum is an open shrub that typically grows to a height of up to . It has thread-like, curved, channelled leaves long and about wide. The flowers are woolly and white, arranged a panicle of spikes on a peduncle long, the perianth forming a tube long. The bracteoles are egg-shaped, long and wide and have woolly hairs. The upper lip of the perianth is egg-shaped, long, about wide, blue and glabrous, the lower lip joined for about with oblong lobes long. Flowering occurs from August to September.

Taxonomy

Conospermum galeatum was collected near Kellerberrin 1897 and again in 1901 at the same location. The species was first formally described in 1995 by Eleanor Marion Bennett in the Flora of Australia from specimens collected in 1929 between Bruce Rock and Narembeen by William Blackall.[1] [2] The specific epithet (galeatum) means 'helmeted', and possibly refers to the upper lip of the perianth.[3]

Distribution and habitat

This species of Conospermum grows in deep sand, and is only known from three subpopulations at two locations about apart, one near Quairading and the other south of Tammin in the Avon Wheatbelt bioregion of south-western Western Australia, where it grows with Banksia prionotes and Xylomelum angustifolium.[4]

Conservation status

Conospermum galeatum is listed as "critically endangered" under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and an Interim Recovery Plan has been prepared.[5]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Conospermum galeatum . Australian Plant Name Index . 11 August 2024.
  2. Web site: Conospermum galeatum - History . 7 . Western Australian Government, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions . 11 August 2024.
  3. Book: Sharr . Francis Aubi . George . Alex . Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings . 2019 . Four Gables Press . Kardinya, WA . 9780958034180 . 204 . 3rd.
  4. Web site: Conospermum galeatum - Summary . 5 . Western Australian Government, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions . 11 August 2024.
  5. Web site: Conospermum galeatum - Interim Recovery Plan . 1–21 . Western Australian Government, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions . 11 August 2024.