Pimelea simplex explained

Pimelea simplex, commonly known as desert rice-flower,^[1] is a species of flowering plant in the family Thymelaeaceae and is endemic to inland Australia. It is a herb or semi-woody annual with narrowly elliptic to linear leaves, and compact heads of densely hairy white to yellowish-green flowers.

Description

Pimelea simplex is herb or semi-woody annual that typically grows to a height of and has hairy young stems. The leaves are arranged alternately along the stems and are usually narrowly elliptic, long and wide on a short petiole. The flowers are bisexual and borne on the ends of branches in dense clusters of many white to yellowish-green flowers, the rachis densely covered with fine hairs. The floral tube is long, the sepals erect and long. Flowering occurs from June to October.^{[2] [3] [4]}

Taxonomy

Pimelea simplex was first formally described in 1853 by Ferdinand von Mueller in the journal Linnaea.^{[5] [6]} The specific epithet, (simplex) means "simple" or "undivided".^[7]

In 1983, S. Threlfall described two subspecies of P. simplex in the journal Brunonia, and the names are accepted by the Australian Plant Census:

• Pimelea simplex subsp. continua (J.M.Black) Threlfall^[8] (previously known as Pimelea continua J.M.Black), is a sturdy plant with flower clusters usually long at maturity, on peduncles up to long, the individual flowers long.^{[9] [10]}
• Pimelea simplex F.Muell. subsp. simplex^[11] is a slender plant with flower clusters up to long at maturity, on peduncles up to long, the individual flowers long.^{[12] [13]}

Distribution and habitat

Subspecies continua tends to grow on soils on heavier texture than subsp. simplex. Both species are found in inland Australia, but subsp. simpex has a wider distribution, occurring throughout most of South Australia, western New South Wales, central and south-western Queensland, and the far north-west of Victoria. Subspecies continua does not appear to occur in Victoria but is known from a few collections in the Northern Territory.^[14]

Conservation status

Pimelea simplex is listed as "near threatened" under the northern Territory Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act.^[15]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Harden . Gwen . Pimelea simplex . Royal Botanic Garden Sydney . 5 April 2023.
2. Web site: Rye . Barbara L. . Pimelea simplex . Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra . 5 April 2023.
3. Web site: Pimelea simplex . State Herbarium of South Australia . 5 April 2023.
4. Web site: Entwisle . Timothy J. . Stajsic . Val . Pimelea simplex subsp. simplex . Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria . 5 April 2023.
5. Web site: Pimelea simplex. APNI. 5 April 2023.
6. von Mueller . Ferdinand . Diagnoses et descriptiones plantarum novarum, quas in Nova Hollandia australi praecipue in regionibus interioribus. . Linnaea: ein Journal für die Botanik in ihrem ganzen Umfange, oder Beiträge zur Pflanzenkunde . 1853 . 25 . 443 . 5 April 2023.
7. Book: . Botanical Latin. History, grammar, syntax, terminology and vocabulary . 1992 . Timber Press . Portland, Oregon . 4th. 950.
8. Web site: Pimelea simplex subsp. continua . Australian Plant Census . 5 April 2023.
9. Web site: Harden . Gwen . Pimelea simplex subsp. continua . Royal Botanic Garden Sydney . 5 April 2023.
10. Web site: Pimelea simplex subsp. continua . State Herbarium of South Australia . 5 April 2023.
11. Web site: Pimelea simplex subsp. simplex . Australian Plant Census . 5 April 2023.
12. Web site: Harden . Gwen . Pimelea simplex subsp. simplex . Royal Botanic Garden Sydney . 5 April 2023.
13. Web site: Pimelea simplex subsp. simplex . State Herbarium of South Australia . 5 April 2023.
14. Web site: Rye . Barbara L. . Pimelea simplex subsp. continua . Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra . 5 April 2023.
15. Web site: Pimelea simplex . Northern Territory Government . 5 April 2023.