Teucrium junceum explained

Teucrium junceum is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a scrambling, openly-branched shrub, with small leaves, white flowers and orange to red fruit.

Description

Teucrium junceum is an openly-branched, scrambling shrub that typically grows to a height of and has glabrous stems that are square in cross-section. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs, narrow-elliptic or lance-shaped, long, wide but often scale-like or shed from older stems. The flowers are borne on a pedicel about long with scale-like bracts long. The five sepals are long, the petals white and long. Flowering mainly occurs in summer and the fruit is an orange to red drupe in diameter.[1] [2]

Taxonomy

This germander was first formally described in 1847 by Allan Cunningham in Wilhelm Gerhard Walpers' Repertorium Botanices Systematicae, and was given the name Spartothamnus junceus.[3] [4] In 2016, Stefan Kattari and Günther Heubl changed the name to Teucrium junceum in the journal Taxon.[5]

Distribution and habitat

Teucrium junceum grows in dry forest, including dry rainforest. It is widespread in eastern Queensland, south from near Mount Surprise to near Camden in New South Wales.[6]

Conservation status

Teucrium junceum is listed as of "least concern" under the Queensland Government Nature Conservation Act 1992.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Conn . Barry J. . Teucrium junceum . Royal Botanic Garden Sydney . 9 March 2021.
  2. Web site: Teucrium junceum . Lucid keys . 9 March 2021.
  3. Web site: Spartothamnus junceus. APNI. 9 March 2021.
  4. Book: Cunningham . Allan . Walpers . Wilhelm G. . Repertorium botanices Systematicae . 1847 . 694 . 9 March 2021.
  5. Web site: Teucrium junceum. APNI. 9 March 2021.
  6. Bean . Anthony R. . A conspectus of Teucrium (Lamiaceae) in Queensland . Muelleria . 2018 . 37 . 12 . 9 March 2021.
  7. Web site: Species profile - Teucrium junceum . Queensland Government Department of Environment and Science . 9 March 2021.