Darwinia grandiflora

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Darwinia grandiflora
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Darwinia
Species:
D. grandiflora
Binomial name
Darwinia grandiflora

Darwinia grandiflora is a flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae. It is a dense, mat forming, prostrate shrub with clusters of tubular red flowers and is endemic to New South Wales.

Description[edit]

Darwinia grandiflora is a prostrate, mat forming, dense shrub up to 50 cm (20 in) high and stems up to 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) long with smaller branches growing upright. The leaves are flattened, up to 8–18 mm (0.31–0.71 in) long and smooth. The flowers are borne in clusters of four to six, tubular, 7–12 mm (0.28–0.47 in) long, 1.5–2 mm (0.059–0.079 in) in diameter, white when young, turning red with age, style 12–20 mm (0.47–0.79 in) long, red, peduncle about 1 mm (0.039 in) long. The bracts leaf-like or triangular shaped, dry and 3–16 mm (0.12–0.63 in) long, bracteoles oblong-shaped, 4–8 mm (0.16–0.31 in) long and yellowish green or yellow brown. Flowering occurs usually from July to October and the fruit is a small 2.4 mm (0.094 in) in diameter single seed.[2][3]

Taxonomy and naming[edit]

This darwinia was described in 1867 by English botanist George Bentham as Darwinia taxifolia var. grandiflora.[4] In 1917 Richard Thomas Baker & Henry George Smith raised the variety to species status to Darwinia grandiflora and the description was published in Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales.[5][6] The specific epithet (grandiflora) refers to the "large flowers".[3]

Distribution and habitat[edit]

Darwinia grandiflora grows in wet heath, damp sandy soil and rocky outcrops south of Sydney on the Woronora Plateau and in the Illawarra region.[2][3]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Darwinia grandiflora". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  2. ^ a b Wilson, Peter G. "Darwinia grandiflora". PlantNET-NSW flora online. Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  3. ^ a b c Fairley, Alan (2004). Seldom Seen Rare Plants of Greater Sydney. Sydney: Louise Egerton. p. 61. ISBN 1876334991.
  4. ^ "Darwinia taxifolia var. grandiflora". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  5. ^ "Darwinia grandiflora". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  6. ^ Baker, Richard; Smith, Henry (1917). "Darwinia grandiflora". Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales. 50: 181. Retrieved 21 July 2022.