Commersonia apella
| Many-flowered commersonia | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malvales |
| Family: | Malvaceae |
| Genus: | Commersonia |
| Species: | C. apella
|
| Binomial name | |
| Commersonia apella | |
Commersonia apella, commonly known as many-flowered commersonia,[2] is a small, upright shrub in the family Malvaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It has hairy leaves and whitish flowers.
Description
[edit]Commersonia apella is an upright, spreading shrub, 1.5–2 m (4 ft 11 in – 6 ft 7 in) high and 1–2.5 m (3 ft 3 in – 8 ft 2 in) wide. The new growth stems are sessile or have short stalks, glandular, yellowish, and covered with star-shaped hairs. The leaves are oval-shaped, margins finely toothed, grey-green on upper surface with a thick covering of short, matted, star-shaped, sessile, white hairs, paler underneath and slightly wrinkled and soft, 8–30 mm (0.31–1.18 in) long, 4–14 mm (0.16–0.55 in) wide and the older leaf petioles 2.8–4 mm (0.11–0.16 in) long and rounded or pointed at the apex. The inflorescence are borne opposite a leaf on a flowering branch 7.5–23.5 mm (0.30–0.93 in) long in clusters of 3-15 on a peduncle 1.5–12 mm (0.059–0.472 in) long, individual flowers on stalk 2.5–6.8 mm (0.098–0.268 in) long. The pedicel and peduncle are both thickly covered with sessile, yellow or white star-shaped hairs. The bracts are oval or narrowly elliptic shaped, 1.5–4 mm (0.059–0.157 in) long, 0.3–1.0 mm (0.012–0.039 in) wide, buds blunt at the base, apex rounded and ribbed. The calyx are green near the base, oval-shaped, white, 3.3–4.5 mm (0.13–0.18 in) long, pointed at the apex, upper surface smooth, simple or star-shaped hairs, lower surface thickly covered with white, star-shaped hairs. The flower petals are yellowish-cream, 2.2–2.7 mm (0.087–0.106 in) long, 1.1–1.6 mm (0.043–0.063 in) wide and swollen near the base. The fruit is ellipsoid shaped, about 2.3–4.5 mm (0.091–0.177 in) long and covered with thick, soft, star-shaped hairs.[3][4]
Taxonomy and naming
[edit]Commersonia apella was first formally described in 2011 by Carolyn F. Wilkins and the description was published in Australian Systematic Botany from specimens collected west of Denmark in 1978.[5] The specific epithet (apella) means "without a bowl", referring to the petals that are not deeply pouched.[4][6]
Distribution and habitat
[edit]Many-flowered commersonia grows in sandy clay in woodland, forest and coastal location between Pemberton and Esperance, but has not been recently located.[3][4]
Conservation status
[edit]Commersonia apella is listed as "critically endangered' under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999[2] and as "Threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions,[7] meaning that it is in danger of extinction.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ "Commersonia apella". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
- ^ a b "Commersonia apella". Species Profile and Threats Database. Australian Government-Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
- ^ a b Wilkins, C.F; Whitlock, B.A. "Commersonia apella" (PDF). Many-flowered Commersonia (Commersonia apella) Interim Recovery Plan 2016–2021. Department of Parks and Wildlife, Western Australia. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
- ^ a b c Blake, Trevor L. (2021). Lantern bushes of Australia ; Thomasias & allied genera : a field and horticultural guide. Victoria: Australian Plants Society, Keilor Plains Group. pp. 164–165. ISBN 9780646839301.
- ^ "Commersonia apella". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
- ^ Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 137. ISBN 9780958034180.
- ^ "Commersonia apella". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
- ^ "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 15 March 2023.