Philotheca pungens

Philotheca pungens, commonly known as prickly waxflower,[2] is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is an undershrub with linear to narrow oblong or needle-like leaves and white flowers usually arranged singly in leaf axils.

Prickly waxflower
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Rutaceae
Genus: Philotheca
Species:
P. pungens
Binomial name
Philotheca pungens
(Lindl.) Paul G.Wilson[1]
Synonyms[1]
  • Eriostemon pungens Lindl.
  • Phebalium pungens (Lindl.) Benth.

Description

Philotheca pungens is an undershrub that typically grows to a height of 60 cm (24 in) but often lies on the ground. The leaves are linear to narrow oblong or needle-like, 8–12 mm (0.31–0.47 in) long, flat on the upper surface but prominently keeled on the lower side. The flowers are usually arranged singly in leaf axils on a pedicel 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) long with lance-shaped bracteoles at the base. The sepals are fleshy, more or less round, about 1 mm (0.039 in) long and the petals are egg-shaped, about 4 mm (0.16 in) long and white, sometimes pink on the back. The stamens are covered with long, soft hairs and the stye is glabrous. Flowering occurs from August to November and the fruit is 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) long and beaked.[3][4][5]

Taxonomy

This species was first recorded by explorer Thomas Mitchell in 1836 when he ascended Mount Hope in northern Victoria. Mitchell described the plant as "a remarkable new species of Eriostemon forming a scrubby spiny bush, with much the appearance of a Leptospermum".[6] It was first formally described in 1838 by botanist John Lindley, who gave it the name Eriostemon pungens and the description was published in Mitchell's book, Three Expeditions into the interior of Eastern Australia .[7] In 1998, Paul G. Wilson changed the name to Philotheca pungens in the journal Nuytsia.[8][9]

Disribution and habitat

Philotheca pungens grows in heathland and is found in south and south-east South Australia and in central and western Victoria as far east as Bendigo. Associated tree species include Eucalyptus leptophylla and Eucalyptus incrassata.[2][3][5]

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References
  1. "Philotheca pungens". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  2. "Philotheca pungens (Rutaceae) Prickly Wax-flower". South Australian Seed Conservation Service. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  3. Wild Plants of Victoria (database). Viridans Biological Databases & Department of Sustainability and Environment. 2009.
  4. Wilson, Paul G.; Wilson, Annette J.G. (ed.) (2013). Flora of Australia (Volume 26). Canberra: Australian Biological Resources Study. p. 411. Retrieved 12 August 2020.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  5. Bayly, Michale J. "Philotheca pungens". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  6. Mitchell, Thomas (July 27, 2004). The Project Gutenberg EBook of Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia, Vol 2 (of 2). Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  7. "Eriostemon pungens". APNI. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  8. "Philotheca pungens". APNI. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  9. Wilson, Paul G. (1998). "A Taxonomic Review of the genera Eriostemon and Philotheca". Nuytsia. 12 (2): 261. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
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