Jacksonia divisa explained

Jacksonia divisa is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to a restricted part of Kakadu National Park. It is an erect, densely branching shrub, its end branches flattened, hairy, leaf-like phylloclades, its leaves reduced to broadly lance-shaped scales, with yellow flowers, and woody, hairy pods.

Description

Jacksonia divisa is an erect, densely branching shrub, that typically grows up to high and wide, its branches greyish-green. Its end branches are narrowly wedge-shaped, long and wide with forked tips. The leaves are reduced to broadly lance-shaped, reddish-brown scales, long and wide. The flowers are clustered in the axils of phylloclades, each flower on a pedicel long. There are lance-shaped bracteoles long and wide at the base of the floral tube. The floral tube is long and the sepals are membranous, the lobes long and wide. The flowers are yellow, the standard petal is long and deep, the wings long, and the keel long. The stamens have red filaments long. Flowering occurs from April to June, and the fruit is a woody, hairy, flattened, broadly elliptic pod, long and wide.[1] [2]

Taxonomy

Jacksonia divisa was first formally described in 2007 by Jennifer Anne Chappill in Australian Systematic Botany from specimens collected near Bloomfield Springs in Kakadu National Park.[3] The specific epithet (divisa) means 'divided',[4] referring to the tips of the phylloclades.

Distribution and habitat

This species of Jacksonia is only known from near the type location, where it grows on a sandy ledge of a sandstone escarpment in the Pine Creek bioregion of Kakadu National Park.

Conservation status

Jacksonia divisa is listed as "vulnerable" under the Northern Territory Government Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act.

Notes and References

  1. Chappill . Jennifer A. . Wilkins . Carolyn F. . Crisp . Michael D. . Taxonomic revision of Jacksonia (Leguminosae: Mirbelieae). . Australian Systematic Botany . 2007 . 20 . 6 . 507–510 .
  2. Web site: Jacksonia divisa . Northern Territory Government . 19 October 2024.
  3. Web site: Jacksonia divisa . Australian Plant Name Index . 19 October 2024.
  4. Book: George . Alex . Sharr . Francis . Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings . 2021 . Four Gables Press . Kardinya, WA . 9780958034180 . 186 . 3rd.