Petrophile brevifolia explained

Petrophile brevifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with cylindrical, sharply-pointed leaves, and spherical heads of hairy yellow, cream-coloured or white flowers.

Description

Petrophile brevifolia is a low, multi-stemmed, erect, or spreading, non-lignotuberous shrub that typically grows to a height of and has glabrous branchlets and leaves. The leaves are needle-shaped, long with a sharply-pointed tip about long. The flowers are arranged on the ends of branchlets in sessile, spherical heads in diameter, with many linear or tapering involucral bracts at the base. The flowers are long, yellow, creamy yellow or white and hairy. Flowering occurs from June to December and the fruit is a nut, fused with others in an oval to spherical head about long.[1]

Taxonomy

Petrophile brevifolia was first formally described in 1840 by John Lindley in A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony.[2] [3] The specific epithet (brevifolia) means "short-leaved".[4]

Distribution and habitat

This petrophile grows in shrubland, heath and woodland and is widespread and common from Kalbarri National Park to Ongerup in the southwest of Western Australia.

Conservation status

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

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Foreman . David B. . Petrophile brevifolia . Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra . 3 December 2020.
  2. Web site: Petrophile brevifolia. APNI. 2 December 2020.
  3. Book: Lindley . John . A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony . 1840 . James Ridgway . London . xxxv . 3 December 2020.
  4. Book: Sharr . Francis Aubi . George . Alex . Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings . 2019 . Four Gables Press . Kardinya, WA . 9780958034180 . 150 . 3rd.