Verticordia dichroma is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a much-branched shrub with rounded leaves and spikes of scented, deep red and golden-coloured flowers.
Verticordia dichroma is a shrub which grows to a height of NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 and which has one to a number of stems at its base. The leaves are egg-shaped to almost round, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and often have irregularly toothed margins.[1]
The flowers are scented and arranged in spike-like groups on erect stems NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and the flowers open at about the same time as each other. The floral cup is top-shaped, about 3sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, has 5 ribs and is glabrous and smooth. The sepals are deep red in colour, or deep red with yellow, NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 long, with 10 to 12 feathery lobes. The petals are golden-yellow with red spots, egg-shaped, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, about 2.5sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide with a fringe NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and with deeply-divided, ear-shaped appendages. The style is about 6sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, bent and has long hairs on its sides. Flowering time is from late October to December.
Verticordia dichroma was first formally described by Alex George in 1991 and the description was published in Nuytsia. The type collection was made by Alex and Elizabeth George "west of [the] North West Coastal Highway, north of No.8 Tank" which is 62sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 north of the Kalbarri turnoff.[2] [3] The specific epithet (dichroma) "is from the Greek di- (two-) and chroma (colour), in reference to the flowers which are bicoloured when they open."
In the same paper, George described two varieties and the names have been accepted by the Australian Plant Census:[4]
George placed this species in subgenus Eperephes, section Pennuligera along with V. comosa, V. lepidophylla, V. chrysostachys, V. aereiflora, V. x eurardyensis, V. muelleriana, V. argentea, V. albida, V. fragrans, V. venusta, V. forrestii, V. serotina, V. oculata, V. etheliana and V. grandis.
Both varieties grow in deep sand, often with other verticordias, in heath and shrubland.
Both varieties of V. dichroma are classified as "Priority Three" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife meaning that they are poorly known and known from only a few locations but are not under imminent threat.[8]
Both varieties of V. dichroma are worthy of cultivation in gardens due to their spectacular flowers. They are difficult to propagate from cuttings but once established are hardy plants. They are more difficult to grow in eastern Australia.