Pimelea leiophylla
| Pimelea leiophylla | |
|---|---|
| |
| In Freycinet National Park | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malvales |
| Family: | Thymelaeaceae |
| Genus: | Pimelea |
| Species: | P. leiophylla
|
| Binomial name | |
| Pimelea leiophylla | |
Pimelea leiophylla is a species of flowering plant in the family Thymelaeaceae and is endemic to Tasmania. It is a shrub with silky-hairy young stems, broadly elliptic to egg-shaped leaves, and clusters of 15 to 25 or more, bright white or pink, tube-shaped flowers surrounded by 4 or 8 involucral bracts.
Description
[edit]Pimelea leiophylla is a shrub that typically grows to a height of 0.3–1.5 m (1 ft 0 in – 4 ft 11 in) and has silky-hairy young stems. Its leaves are decussate (arranged in alternating pairs), broadly elliptic to egg-shaped, 5–15 mm (0.20–0.59 in) long and 3–10 mm (0.12–0.39 in) wide on a petiole about 1 mm (0.039 in) long. The flowers are arranged on the ends of branches in erect clusters of 15 to 25 or more surrounded by 4 or 8 leaf-like involucral bracts. The flowers are bright white, occasionally pink and are either bisexual or female. The floral tube is 8–15 mm (0.31–0.59 in) long and the 4 sepals 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) long. Flowering occurs from October to February.[2]
Taxonomy and naming
[edit]Pimelea leiophylla was first formally described in 2016 by Alan Maurice Gray and Matthew L. Baker in the journal Muelleria from specimens collected on The Hazards in 1989.[2][3] The specific epithet (leiophylla) means "smooth leaves".[2]
Distribution and habitat
[edit]This pimelea grows in sparse dry woodland in a few places on the Freycinet Peninsula and on Schouten Island in eastern Tasmania.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ "Pimelea leiophylla". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
- ^ a b c d Gray, Alan M.; Baker, Matthew L. (2016). "Pimelea leiophylla (Thymelaeaceae): a new endemic species from Tasmania's east coast". Muelleria. 35: 15–21. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
- ^ "Pimelea leiophylla". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 15 January 2023.