Pimelea axiflora explained

Pimelea axiflora, commonly known as bootlace bush,^[1] is a small shrub in the family Thymelaeaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a small shrub with whitish flowers on mostly smooth stems.

Description

Pimelea axiflora is a small dioecious shrub high with smooth stems or occasionally hairy. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs are mostly linear or narrowly elliptic, upper surface mid-green, underside paler, long, wide on a petiole long. The leaves are green, smooth and leaf margins mostly recurved. The inflorescence consists of a cluster of 2-10 white flowers in leaf axils with little or no stalk. The male flowers are larger, long and female long. The 2-4 flower bracts are usually oval shaped and long and wide. The green fruit are long.^{[1] [2]}

Taxonomy

Pimelea axiflora was first formally described in 1854 by Carl Meisner and the description was published in Linnaea: ein Journal für die Botanik in ihrem ganzen Umfange, oder Beiträge zur Pflanzenkunde.^{[3] [4]}

There are currently three subspecies accepted by the Australian Plant Census:

• Pimelea axiflora subsp. axiflora, has soft leaves long, flowers thickly covered with hairs on outside near petiole, bracts usually hairy on outside. Flowering occurs from June to December. In Tasmania it is restricted to King Island. In New South Wales it grows on the coast and ranges, south of the Budawang National Park to Braidwood. A single recording north of Cooma and rare in the Snowy Mountains. This subspecies grows in wetter locations as an understory shrub in eucalypt scrubland and near streams.^[5]
• Pimelea axiflora subsp. alpina (Benth.) Threlfall, commonly known as alpine bootlace bush, is a small shrub to high, sometimes semi-prostrate, smooth stems with leaf scars. The leaves are smooth, straight, leathery, long, wide and smooth bracts, 2-5 flowers in each cluster, moderate to infrequently hairy externally in montane locations. Male flowers are long, female long and the bracts are brown, smooth and usually long. This species grows at higher altitudes in the Snowy Mountains in open heath, rocky sites, woodland and herb and grass fields. Flowering occurs from November to March.^[6]
• Pimelea axiflora subsp. pubescens Rye, commonly known as Bungonia rice-flower, is a dioecious shrub to high, stems either smooth or hairy, new stem growth with hairs long. The petiole long, underside of leaves hairy, long and wide, linear to narrowly oval, margins curled under. The upper leaf surface usually smooth and secondary veins on underside obvious. The female flowers are long, male long, 2-10 white flowers in each cluster in leaf axils, 2-4 bracts long and stalk more or less absent. Fruit are green and about long. Flowering occurs in September. It is only found in the Bungonia National Park south east of Goulburn N.S.W where it grows on rocky, limestone outcrops and cliffs.^{[7] [8] [9]}

Distribution

Bootlace bush is found at higher altitudes on the Grampians extending to the east coast in Victoria, in south-eastern New South Wales and on King Island, Tasmania.^{[1] [10]}

Conservation status

• Pimelea axiflora subsp. axiflora is listed as "endangered under the Threatened Species Protection Act 1995, Tasmania.^[11]
• Pimelea axiflora subsp. alpina is considered rare in Victoria.^[7]
• Pimelea axiflora subsp. pubescens is listed as "endangered" under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act due to be known from a single population containing a low number of mature plants.^[9]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Harden . G.T . Pimelea axiflora . PlantNET-NSW FLORA ONLINE . Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney . 7 February 2020.
2. Book: Rye . Barbara L. . George . Alex . Flora of Australia Volume 18 Podostemaceae to Combretaceae . 1990 . Australian Government Publishing Service . Canberra . 0644104724 . 153.
3. Web site: Pimelea axiflora . Australian Plant Name Index . 8 February 2020.
4. Web site: Linnaea: ein Journal für die Botanik in ihrem ganzen Umfange, oder Beiträge zur Pflanzenkunde . Biodiversity Heritage Library . 8 February 2020.
5. Web site: Pimelea axiflora subsp. axiflora . Australian Plant Census . 9 February 2020.
6. Web site: Pimelea axiflora subsp. alpina . Australian Plant Census . 9 February 2020.
7. Web site: Wood . Betty . Pimelea axiflora subsp. pubescens . Plants of South Eastern New South Wales . Lucid Central . 9 February 2020.
8. Web site: Pimelea axiflora subsp. pubescens . Australian Plant Census . 9 February 2020.
9. Web site: Pimelea axiflora subsp. pubescens . NSW Threatened Species Online . NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment . 9 February 2020.
10. Web site: Pimelea axiflora . VicFlora-Flora of Victoria . Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria . 8 February 2020.
11. Web site: Pimelea axiflora subsp. axiflora . Threatened Species Section (2020) . Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Tasmania. . 9 February 2020.