Conostylis pauciflora
{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}}
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|genus = Conostylis
|species = pauciflora
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|authority = Hopper{{cite web |title=Conostylis pauciflora |url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/77616 |publisher=Australian Plant Census |access-date=1 January 2023}}
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Conostylis pauciflora, commonly known as Dawesville conostylis,{{FloraBase|name= Conostylis pauciflora|id=1443 }} is a rhizomatous, stoloniferous, perennial, grass-like plant or herb in the family Haemodoraceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has flat, green leaves with bristles on the edges, and relatively few tubular flowers.
Description
Conostylis pauciflora is a much-branched, rhizomatous, perennial, grass-like plant or herb with stolons up to {{cvt|150|mm}} long. It has flat, green leaves {{cvt|100–150|mm}} long, {{cvt|1.0–2.5|mm}} wide and glabrous, apart from bristles on the edges, that are rarely more than {{cvt|1|mm}} long. The flowers are borne in groups of usually less than 10 on a flowering stem {{cvt|100–300|mm}} tall. The perianth is yellow, {{cvt|7–11|mm}} long, with lobes {{cvt|4–7|mm}} long, the anthers {{cvt|2.5–3.5|mm}} long. Flowering occurs from August to October.{{cite web |last1=Hopper |first1=S.D |last2=Purdie |first2=R.W |last3=George |first3=A.S |last4=Patrick |first4=S.J |title=Conostylis pauciflora |url=https://www.dcceew.gov.au/sites/default/files/env/pages/34b53009-bdf7-4c4d-93a6-4a9ab3c14cf7/files/flora-australia-45-hydatellaceae-liliaceae.pdf |pages=79–80 |publisher=Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment |access-date=1 January 2024}}{{cite web |last1=Hopper |first1=S.D |last2=Purdie |first2=R.W |last3=George |first3=A.S |last4=Patrick |first4=S.J |title=Conostylis pauciflora |url=https://profiles.ala.org.au/opus/foa/profile/Conostylis%20pauciflora |publisher=Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment |access-date=30 December 2023}}
Taxonomy and naming
Conostylis pauciflora was first formally described in 1978 by Stephen Hopper in the journal Nuytsia, from specimens he collected {{cvt|20|km}} south of Mandurah, overlooking the Harvey Estuary in 1976.{{cite web|title=Conostylis pauciflora |url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/api/instance/apni/491813 |publisher=APNI|accessdate=1 January 2023}} The specific epithet (pauciflora) means "few-flowered".{{cite book |last1=Sharr |first1=Francis Aubi |last2=George |first2=Alex |title=Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings |date=2019 |publisher=Four Gables Press |location=Kardinya, WA |isbn=9780958034180 |page=272 |edition=3rd}}
Hopper described 2 subspecies of C. pauciflora in the Flora of Australia and the names are accepted by the Australian Plant Census:
- Conostylis pauciflora subsp. euryrhipis Hopper{{cite web |title=Conostylis pauciflora subsp. euryrhipis|url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/77623 |publisher=Australian Plant Census |access-date=1 January 2023}} has leaves {{cvt|60–180|mm}} long and {{cvt|1.0–1.5|mm}} wide in flattened, broadly fan-shaped clusters.{{cite web |last1=Hopper |first1=S.D |last2=Purdie |first2=R.W |last3=George |first3=A.S |last4=Patrick |first4=S.J |title=Conostylis pauciflora subsp. euryrhipis |url=https://profiles.ala.org.au/opus/foa/profile/Conostylis%20pauciflora%20subsp.%20euryrhipis |publisher=Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment |access-date=1 January 2024}}
- Conostylis pauciflora Hopper subsp. pauciflora{{cite web |title=Conostylis pauciflora subsp. pauciflora |url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/77627 |publisher=Australian Plant Census |access-date=1 January 2023}} has leaves {{cvt|150–350|mm}} long and {{cvt|1.0–2.5|mm}} wide in loose, narrowly fan-shaped clusters.{{cite web |last1=Hopper |first1=S.D |last2=Purdie |first2=R.W |last3=George |first3=A.S |last4=Patrick |first4=S.J |title=Conostylis pauciflora subsp. pauciflora |url=https://profiles.ala.org.au/opus/foa/profile/Conostylis%20pauciflora%20subsp.%20pauciflora |publisher=Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment |access-date=1 January 2024}}
Distribution and habitat
Subspecies euryrhipis is common in heath on sand dunes between Cervantes and Yanchep{{FloraBase|name= Conostylis pauciflora subsp. euryrhipis|id=11388 }} and subsp. pauciflora is found in the Yalgorup-Dawesville area in the Swan Coastal Plain bioregion in the south-western Western Australia.{{FloraBase|name= Conostylis pauciflora subsp. pauciflora|id=11657 }}
Conservation status
Conostylis pauciflorus is listed as "not threatened", but both subspecies are listed as "Priority Four" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, meaning that they are rare or near threatened.{{cite web|title=Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna|url=https://www.epa.wa.gov.au/sites/default/files/Referral_Documentation/DWERDT480152%20%20App%206%20-%202020%20Western%20Australian%20and%20Commonwealth%20of%20Australia%20Conservation%20Codes%282%29.pdf|publisher=Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife|accessdate=1 January 2024}}
References
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{{Taxonbar|from1=Q15338808|from2=Q51053242|from3=Q51053253}}
Category:Commelinales of Australia
Category:Angiosperms of Western Australia