Sannantha virgata is a flowering shrub species in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. It is endemic to New Caledonia. The plant grows to between 0.5 and 3 metres high. White flowers appear in spring or summer with 5 rounded petals surrounding 7 to 10 stamens. The fruits are 1–2 mm wide and 2–3 mm in length.[1]

Sannantha virgata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Sannantha
Species:
S. virgata
Binomial name
Sannantha virgata
Synonyms
  • Babingtonia virgata (J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.) F.Muell.
  • Baeckea virgata (J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.) Andrews
  • Harmogia virgata (J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.) Schauer
  • Leptospermum virgatum J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.
  • Melaleuca virgata (J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.) L.f.

Taxonomy

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The species was first formally described in 1775 as Leptospermum virgatum. In 1810 it was placed in the genus Baeckea.[2] By 1997 an Australian Baeckea virgata species complex had been identified which was regarded as separate from the New Caledonian population. From this complex, 8 separate species were identified and placed in the genus Babingtonia. In 2007, the species were placed in the newly created genus Sannantha and assigned the following names:[3][2]

References

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  1. ^ "Sannantha virgata (Espece)". Endémía - Faune & Flore de Nouvelle-Calédonie. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  2. ^ a b "Sannantha virgata". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government, Canberra. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  3. ^ "Baeckea virgata = Sannantha spp". James Cook University. Retrieved 7 January 2011.