Hibbertia ulicifolia explained

Hibbertia ulicifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Dilleniaceae and is endemic to the south coast of Western Australia. It is a shrub with spirally arranged, linear to awl-shaped leaves and golden yellow flowers with nine stamens fused at the bases, all on one side of two densely shortly-hairy carpels.

Description

Hibbertia ulicifolia is a shrub that typically grows to a height of up to and has branchlets covered with minute, star-shaped hairs when young. The leaves are spirally arranged, linear to awl-shaped, long and wide on a petiole long. The flowers are arranged singly in leaf axils on a thin peduncle long with egg-shaped bracts long at the base of the sepals. The five sepals are joined at the base, long, the inner ones slightly broader than the outer ones. The five petals are golden yellow, egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base and long with a notch at the tip. There are nine stamens, fused at the base on one side of the two densely, shortly-hairy carpels that each contain two ovules. Flowering mostly occurs between September and November.[1]

Taxonomy

This hibbertia was first formally described in 1863 by George Bentham who gave it the name Hibbertia acerosa var. ulicifolia in Flora Australiensis from specimens collected by William Baxter at King George Sound.[2] [3] In 2000, Judith R. Wheeler raised the variety to species status as H. ulicifolia in the journal Nuytsia.[4] The specific epithet (ulicifolia) means "Ulex- (gorse) leaved".[5]

Distribution and habitat

This species mainly grows in heath and on scree slopes in near-coastal areas mainly from Mount Le Grande to Duke of Orleans Bay in the Cape Arid National Park.

Conservation status

Hibbertia hamulosa is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Wheeler . Judith R. . Review of Hibbertia mucronata and its allies (Dilleniaceae). . Nuytsia . 2000 . 13 . 2 . 385–387 . 3 December 2021.
  2. Web site: Hibbertia acerosa var. ulicifolia. APNI. 3 December 2021.
  3. Book: Bentham . George . Flora Australiensis . 1 . 1863 . Lovell Reeve & Co. . London . 25 . 3 December 2021.
  4. Web site: Hibbertia ulicifolia. APNI. 3 December 2021.
  5. Book: Sharr . Francis Aubi . George . Alex . Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings . 2019 . Four Gables Press . Kardinya, WA . 9780958034180 . 331 . 3rd.