Leionema viridiflorum commonly known as green phebalium,[2] is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae. It is a small shrub with pale yellow-greenish flowers in clusters at the end of branches from winter to early spring. It has a restricted distribution in northern New South Wales.
| Leionema viridiflorum | |
|---|---|
| |
| Growing in the Warrumbungles National Park | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Sapindales |
| Family: | Rutaceae |
| Genus: | Leionema |
| Species: | L. viridiflorum
|
| Binomial name | |
| Leionema viridiflorum (Paul G.Wilson) Paul G.Wilson[1]
| |
Description edit
Leionema viridiflorum is usually a small shrub to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) high with more or less needle-shaped stems covered in star-shaped, short, matted hairs. The leaves are mostly erect, narrowly oblong to oblong-elliptic, 20–40 mm (0.79–1.57 in) long, 4–8 mm (0.16–0.31 in) wide, wedge shaped at the base, apex lobed, smooth margins, rolled under or upward when dry, upper surface dotted with glands with occasional smooth to star-shaped hairs, underside more or less covered in star-shaped hairs. The inflorescence is a cluster of 6-12 pendulous flowers on a stalk 4–8 mm (0.16–0.31 in) long at the end of branches. The calyx are fleshy and hemispherical shaped. The erect, pale yellow-greenish petals are lance to narrowly oblong shaped, about 10 mm (0.39 in) long with occasional star-shaped, soft, erect hairs and the stamens twice the length of the petals. The fruit are a capsule, each segment about 6 mm (0.24 in) high, ending with a short beak. Flowering occurs from winter to early spring.[2][3]
Taxonomy and naming edit
This species was first formally described by Paul Wilson in 1970 and gave it the name Phebalium viridiflorum and the description was published in the journal Nuytsia.[4][5] In 1998 Paul Wilson changed the name to Leionema viridiflorum and published the name change in the journal Nuytsia.[6][7] The specific epithet (viridiflorum) means "green flowers".[8]
Distribution and habitat edit
Leionema viridiflorum grows usually in heath on trachyte outcrops in the Warrumbungle National Park and Mount Kaputar National Park in New South Wales.[3]
References edit
- ^ "Leionema viridiflorum". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
- ^ a b Weston, P.H; Harden, G.J. "Leionema viridiflorum". PlantNET-NSW flora online. Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- ^ a b Wilson, Paul G. (1999). Flora of Australia-Volume 26 Meliaceae, Rutaceae, Zygophyllaceae. Canberra/Melbourne: ABRS-Department of Environment & Heritage. p. 446. ISBN 9780643109551.
- ^ Wilson, Paul G. "Phebalium viridiflorum". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- ^ Wilson, Paul G. (1970). "A Taxonomic Revision of the Genera Crowea, Eriostemon and Phebalium (Rutaceae)". Nuytsia. 1 (1): 117–118. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- ^ Wilson, Paul G. "Leionema viridiflorum". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- ^ Wilson, Paul G. (1998). "New species and nomenclatural changes in Phebalium and related genera (Rutaceae)". Nuytsia. 12 (2): 277. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- ^ Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 336. ISBN 9780958034180.