Grevillea acanthifolia

Grevillea acanthifolia is an erect or spreading shrub which usually grows to a height of {{convert|0.5|m|ft|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} but sometimes to {{convert|3|m|ft|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} tall and {{convert|4|m|ft|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} wide. The leaves have 9 to 14 main lobes and are {{convert|4-9|cm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|3-7|cm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} wide, each lobe sometimes further divided and linear to triangular or wedge-shaped with a sharp tip. The leaves are bright green, stiff and prickly.{{cite web|last1=Makinson|first1=Robert Owen|title=Grevillea acanthifolia|url=http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Grevillea~acanthifolia|publisher=Royal Botanic Garden Sydney:plantnet|access-date=13 November 2016}}{{cite web|title=Grevillea acanthifolia|url=http://anpsa.org.au/g-acan.html|publisher=Australian Native Plants Society Australia|access-date=13 November 2016}}{{cite web|last1=Sheather|first1=Warren|last2=Sheather|first2=Gloria|title=Grevillea acanthifolia|url=http://www.yallaroo.com.au/Grevillea_acanthifolia.htm|publisher=A View from Yallaroo|access-date=13 November 2016}}{{cite book|last1=Carolin|first1=Roger|last2=Tindale|first2=Mary|title=Flora of the Sydney region|date=1994|publisher=Reed|location=Chatswood, NSW|isbn=0730104001|page=268|edition=4th}}

The flowers are arranged in one-sided, "toothbrush"-like group, {{convert|3-10|cm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long. The small sepals and petals are pale green to grey and hairy on the outside and glabrous inside. The style is {{convert|20-28|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long and red, tipped with a green pollen presenter. Flowering occurs throughout the year but mainly from October to February and the fruit that follows is a hairy follicle with reddish markings.File:Grevillea acanthifolia subsp. stenomera leaves and flowers.jpgFile:Grevillea acanthifolia subsp. stenomera (habit).jpg

Grevillea acanthifolia was first formally described in 1825 by Allan Cunningham from a specimen he collected on John Oxley's 1817 expedition. Cunningham found the species growing in "peaty bogs on the Blue Mountains and [on the] banks of Cox's River".{{cite web|title=Grevillea acanthifolia|url= https://id.biodiversity.org.au/instance/apni/494054|publisher=APNI|access-date=13 November 2016}} The specific epithet (acanthifolia) is a derived from the name of the genus Acanthus and the Latin word folium meaning "a leaf"{{cite book|last1=Brown|first1=Roland Wilbur|title=The Composition of Scientific Words|date=1956|publisher=Smithsonian Institution Press|location=Washington, D.C.|page=340}} referring to the similarity of the leaves of this species to those of Acanthus.

The names of three subspecies are accepted by the Australian Plant Census:

• Grevillea acanthifolia A.Cunn. subsp. acanthifolia which has its leaf lobes egg-shaped or wedge-shaped, not linear and which grows in swampy places or on wet rocks in the Blue Mountains;{{cite web|title=Grevillea acanthifolia subsp. acanthifolia|url= https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/79045|publisher=Australian Plant Census|access-date=24 October 2021}}{{cite web|last1=Makinson|first1=Robert Owen|title=Grevillea acanthifolia subsp. acanthifolia|url=http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=in&name=Grevillea~acanthifolia~subsp.+acanthifolia|publisher=Royal Botanic Garden Sydney:plantnet|access-date=13 November 2016}}
• Grevillea acanthifolia subsp. paludosa Makinson & Albr. commonly known as bog grevillea which is an erect shrub growing to a height of {{convert|3|m|ft|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} with narrow, tapering or linear leaf lobes which are more or less hairy on the lower surface and which grows in swamps an on stream sides at high altitudes, inland from Bega;{{cite web|title=Grevillea acanthifolia subsp. paludosa|url= https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/79058|publisher=Australian Plant Census|access-date=24 October 2021}}{{cite web|last1=Makinson|first1=Robert Owen|title=Grevillea acanthifolia subsp. paludosa|url=http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=in&name=Grevillea~acanthifolia~subsp.+paludosa|publisher=Royal Botanic Garden Sydney:plantnet|access-date=13 November 2016}}
• Grevillea acanthifolia subsp. stenomera (F.Muell. ex Benth.) McGill. which usually only grows to a height of less than {{convert|1|m|ft|sigfig=1|abbr=on}}, has narrow, tapering or linear and glabrous leaf lobes and which grows on the Northern Tablelands and higher parts of the North Coast.{{cite web|title=Grevillea acanthifolia subsp. stenomera|url= https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/79064|publisher=Australian Plant Census|access-date=24 October 2021}}{{cite web|last1=Makinson|first1=Robert Owen|title=Grevillea acanthifolia subsp. stenomera|url=http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=in&name=Grevillea~acanthifolia~subsp.+stenomera|publisher=Royal Botanic Garden Sydney:plantnet|access-date=13 November 2016}}

Grevillea × gaudichaudii is a hybrid derived from G. acanthifolia and Grevillea laurifolia.

This grevillea only grows in New South Wales, usually at higher altitudes and in wet or boggy areas.

As a whole, Grevillea acanthifolia is listed as "Least Concern" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It has a wide distribution, large overall population and populations are typically stable.{{cite iucn |author=Keith, D.A. |year=2020 |title=Grevillea acanthifolia |volume=2020 |page=e.T112645499A113309160 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T112645499A113309160.en |access-date=20 December 2023}}

Overall, there are no major threats to the species, however, subspecies paludosa (bog grevillea) is threatened by changes to river flow regimes, surface runoff and related hydrological disturbances, trampling and grazing, increased fire regimes and dieback disease Phytophthora.{{cite web |title=Bog grevillea profile |url=http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=10358 |access-date=13 November 2016 |publisher=New South Wales Government Office of Environment and Heritage}} It is classified as "Endangered" under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act and under the Commonwealth Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) Act.{{cite web |title=Approved conservation advice for Grevillea acanthifolia subsp. paludosa (Bog grevillea) |url=http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/species/pubs/21872-conservation-advice.pdf |access-date=13 November 2016 |publisher=Australian Government Department of the Environment}}

Subspecies stenomera is classified in the ROTAP system as 3RC- meaning that it has a wide range but small populations and is rare, but at least some populations are in reserves and the species not at present under threat.{{cite web|title=Threatened flora lists|url=http://anpsa.org.au/coding.html|publisher=Australian Native Plants Society Australia|access-date=13 November 2016|archive-date=19 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151119075210/http://anpsa.org.au/coding.html|url-status=dead}}

Subspecies acanthifolia of this grevillea is grown in some gardens but is sometimes unreliable at low altitudes. It grows best in a sunny position and is tolerant of heavy frosts.

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acanthifolia

Category:Flora of New South Wales

Category:Proteales of Australia

Category:Plants described in 1825