Thryptomene ericaea
| Thryptomene ericaea | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Thryptomene |
| Species: | T. ericaea
|
| Binomial name | |
| Thryptomene ericaea | |
Thryptomene ericaea is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to South Australia. It is a shrub with narrow elliptic leaves and white flowers with five petals and five stamens.
Description
[edit]Thryptomene ericaea is a shrub that typically grows to a height of 0.5–1.2 m (1 ft 8 in – 3 ft 11 in). Its leaves are narrow elliptic with a pointed tip, about 6 mm (0.24 in) long, 1 mm (0.039 in) wide and sessile. Each flower is on a peduncle 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) long and has a ribbed, more or less cylindrical floral cup. The flowers have five white, egg-shaped sepals and petals, all about 1 mm (0.039 in) long and there are five stamens opposite the sepals. Flowering occurs from September to December.[2]
Taxonomy
[edit]Thryptomene ericaea was first formally described in 1858 by Ferdinand von Mueller in Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae from specimens collected by "Bannier" on Kangaroo Island.[3][4] The specific epithet (ericaea) refers to a resemblance of this species to plants in the genus Erica.[5]
Distribution
[edit]This thryptomene occurs in South Australia, on Kangaroo Island and to a lesser extent on the Eyre and Yorke Peninsulas.[2]
Cultivation
[edit]A cultivar of T. ericaea known as 'Centenary Starburst' was chosen as South Australia's floral emblem for the Centenary of Federation (1901–2001).[6] This cultivar has commercial potential for the cut flower industry but the species is difficult to propagate. Research on inducing root formation in tissue culture has been conducted.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ "Thryptomene ericaea". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
- ^ a b "Thryptomene ericaea". State Herbarium of South Australia. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
- ^ "Thryptomene ericaea". APNI. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
- ^ von Mueller, Ferdinand (1858). Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae. Vol. 1. Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer. p. 12. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
- ^ Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 193. ISBN 9780958034180.
- ^ "Federation Flower for South Australia". Australian National Botanic Gardens. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
- ^ Ainsley, Phillip J.; Lee, T.C. (2010). "A method to induce adventitious rooting in microshoot cultures of Thryptomene ericaea (Myrtaceae)" (PDF). Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens. 24: 7–9. Retrieved 1 May 2021.