Petrophile acicularis explained

Petrophile acicularis is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a low, tufted shrub with cylindrical leaves and oval heads of densely hairy, cream-coloured flowers.

Description

Petrophile acicularis is a tufted shrub that typically grows to a height of and has glabrous branchlets and leaves. The leaves are cylindrical, long and wide. The flowers are arranged in sessile, oval heads about long, with many pointed involucral bracts at the base. The flowers are about long, cream-coloured and densely hairy. Flowering occurs from September to October, and the fruit is a nut, fused with others in a more or less spherical head long. This petrophile differs from similar species in having prominently striated cone scales.[1] [2]

Taxonomy

Petrophile acicularis was first formally described in 1810 by Robert Brown in Transactions of the Linnean Society of London.[3] [4] The specific epithet (acicularis) means "needle-pointed", referring to the leaves.[5]

Distribution and habitat

This petrophile usually grows in sand and is found between the Scott River, Two Peoples Bay and Manjimup in the Jarrah Forest and Warren biogeographic regions in the south-west of Western Australia.

Conservation status

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

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Foreman . David B. . Petrophile acicularis . Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra . 30 November 2020.
  2. Rye . Barbara L. . Hislop . Michael C. . A taxonomic update of Petrophile sect. Arthrostigma (Proteaceae) . Nuytsia . 2005 . 15 . 3 . 463 . 30 November 2020.
  3. Web site: Petrophile acicularis. APNI. 30 November 2020.
  4. Brown . Robert . Robert Brown (Scottish botanist from Montrose) . On the Proteaceae of Jussieu . Transactions of the Linnean Society . 10 . 1810 . 69 .
  5. Book: Sharr . Francis Aubi . George . Alex . Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings . 2019 . Four Gables Press . Kardinya, WA . 9780958034180 . 126 . 3rd.