Grevillea crowleyae explained

Grevillea crowleyae is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to a restricted area in the south-west of Western Australia. It is a dense, spreading shrub with deeply divided leaves usually with three to seven linear lobes, and grey, pale yellowish or greenish flowers with a maroon-black style.

Description

Grevillea corrugata is a dense, spreading shrub that typically grows to a height of . Its leaves are long and deeply divided with three to seven linear lobes long and about wide. The flowers are grey, pale yellowish or greenish and arranged in groups on a rachis long, the pistil usually long and the style maroon-black, sometimes red. Flowering occurs from August to November and the fruit is a woolly-hairy, oblong follicle long.[1] [2]

Taxonomy

Grevillea crowleyae was first formally described in 1993 by Peter M. Olde and Neil R. Marriott in the journal Nuytsia from specimens collected by Olde near Darkan in 1991.[3] The specific epithet (crowleyae) honours Valma Crowley, an amateur naturalist.

Distribution and habitat

This grevillea is only known about ten plants growing in a disturbed site in gravel pit in forest at the type location in the south-west of Western Australia.

Conservation status

Grevillea corrugata is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species due to its restricted, severely fragmented range and the continuing decline in habitat quality and number of mature individuals. A population decline of at least half over the past 75 years is inferred due to habitat clearing for agriculture and roads.[4]

It is also listed as "Priority Two" by the Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, meaning that it is poorly known and from only one or a few locations.[5]

The population is estimated to be fewer than 1,000 mature individuals. It is currently declining due to threats such as land clearing and competition with invasive weeds. It is unknown how susceptible the species is to dieback, a disease caused by Phytophtora pathogens.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Grevillea crowleyae . Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra . 12 March 2022.
  2. Olde . Peter M. . Marriott . Neil R. . New species and taxonomic changes in Grevillea (Proteaceae: Grevilleoideae) from south-west Western Australia. . Nuytsia . 1993 . 9 . 2 . 271–273 . 12 March 2022.
  3. Web site: Grevillea crowleyae. APNI. 12 March 2022.
  4. Monks, L. . Keighery, G. . 2020 . Grevillea crowleyae . 2020 . e.T112651001A113307846 . 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T112651001A113307846.en . 28 December 2023.
  5. Web site: Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna. Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. 12 March 2022.