Grevillea infundibularis explained

Grevillea infundibularis, commonly known as fan-leaf grevillea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to a restricted area in the south of Western Australia. It is a spreading to low-lying shrub with egg-shaped to hemispherical leaves and clusters of four to eight bright red flowers.

Description

Grevillea infundibularis is a spreading to low-lying shrub that typically grows to a height of and has few branches. Its leaves are egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, to hemispherical, long and wide with an wedge-shaped to stem-clasping base, and a few to many (often eight) broad teeth on the ends. The flowers are bright red and erect, arranged in clusters of four to eight on the ends of branches and in leaf axils, the pistil long. Flowering occurs in most months and the fruit is an erect follicle long.[1] [2] [3]

Taxonomy

Grevillea infundibularis was first formally described in 1974 by Alex George in the journal Nuytsia from specimens he collected on Middle Mount Barren in 1970.[4] The specific epithet (infundibularis) means "funnel-shaped", referring to the leaves.[5]

Distribution and habitat

Fan-leaf grevillea occurs in part of the Fitzgerald River National Park in the Esperance Plains bioregion where it grows in heathland among small to medium trees.

Conservation status

Grevillea infundibularis is listed as "endangered" under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and as Threatened Flora (Declared Rare Flora — Extant) by the Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. The main threat to the species is its restricted distribution but potentially also by inappropriate fire regimes and dieback caused by Phytophthora cinnamomi.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Grevillea infundibularis . Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra . 26 May 2022.
  2. Web site: Approved Conservation Advice for Grevillea infundibularis (Fan-leaf Grevillea). 8 June 2011.
  3. George . Alex S. . Grevillea infundibularis . Nuytsia . 1974 . 1 . 4 . 371–372 . 26 May 2022.
  4. Web site: Grevillea infundibularis. APNI. 26 May 2022.
  5. Book: Sharr . Francis Aubi . George . Alex . Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings . 2019 . Four Gables Press . Kardinya, WA . 9780958034180 . 224 . 3rd.