Grevillea hystrix

Grevillea hystrix
Conservation status
Priority One — Poorly Known Taxa (DEC)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Proteales
Family:	Proteaceae
Genus:	Grevillea
Species:	G. hystrix
Binomial name
Grevillea hystrix R.W.Davis

Grevillea hystrix, also known as porcupine grevillea, is a species of plant in the Proteaceae family that is endemic to Western Australia.

History and etymology

The species was first collected in 2013 by William Muir, recognised as a new taxon at the Western Australian Herbarium in 2014, and formally described by Robert Davis in 2020. The specific epithet hystrix is Latin for “porcupine”, with reference to the spiny leaves.

Description

The species grows as a low, prickly shrub to 40–60 cm in height by 30–100 cm across. The sharply pointed leaves are 5–8 mm long by 0.8–1 mm wide. The conflorescent flowers are predominantly red, appearing from late August to early October.

Distribution and habitat

The species is known only from a single population of about 20 plants, east of the mining town of Koolyanobbing, in the Coolgardie bioregion of Southwest Australia. It occurs in sandplain country in low open shrubland on yellow clayey-sandy soils. Despite extensive surveys in the area, the species has not been recorded elsewhere.

Conservation status

Grevillea hystrix is listed as "Priority One" by the Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, meaning it is known from only a few populations which are under immediate threat from known threatening processes.

The species is known only from a single population consisting of approximately 20 plants, many of which appear to be senescing or dying. Some of these plants appear to have new shoots growing from older stems.