Prostanthera calycina
{{short description|Species of plant}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = West coast mintbush
| image = Prostanthera calycina.jpg
| image_caption = In Maranoa Gardens
| genus = Prostanthera
| species = calycina
| status_system = EPBC
| status = VU
| authority = F.Muell. ex Benth.{{cite web |title=Prostanthera calycina |url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/109348 |website=Australian Plant Census |access-date=22 August 2020}}
| range_map = Prostanthera calycinaDistA11.png
| range_map_caption = Occurrence data from AVH
| synonyms = * Prostanthera calicina Briq.
}}
Prostanthera calycina, the West Coast mintbush, limestone mintbush or red mintbush,{{cite web |title=SPRAT Profile: Prostanthera calycina — West Coast Mintbush, Limestone Mintbush, Red Mintbush |url=http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=9470 |publisher=Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment |access-date=22 August 2020}} is a species of flowering plant that is endemic to the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. It is a small, more or less prostrate shrub with aromatic, elliptic to oblong leaves and red flowers.
Description
Prostanthera calycina is a more or less prostrate shrub that typically grows to a height of about {{cvt|0.5|m}} and has more or less cylindrical, hairy branches. The leaves are well-spaced along the branchlets, elliptic to oblong, {{cvt|4–14|mm}} long and {{cvt|3–5|mm}} wide on a densely hairy petiole {{cvt|0.8–1.4|mm}} long. The leaves are strongly aromatic when crushed. The flowers are arranged singly in leaf axils on a hairy pedicel {{cvt|2.5–4.5|mm}} long. The sepals are {{cvt|8–14|mm}} long forming a tube {{cvt|6–8|mm}} long with two lobes {{cvt|4–6|mm}} long and {{cvt|5–7|mm}} wide. The petals are {{cvt|17.5–22|mm}} long forming a tube {{cvt|13–15|mm}} long with two lips. The middle lobe on the lower lip is about {{cvt|4|mm}} long and {{cvt|3|mm}} wide, the side lobes about {{cvt|3|mm}} long. The upper lip has two lobes about {{cvt|5|mm}} long and joined but with a small notch between them. Flowering occurs between September and December.{{cite web |title=Prostanthera calycina |url=http://flora.sa.gov.au/cgi-bin/speciesfacts_display.cgi?form=speciesfacts&name=Prostanthera_calycina |publisher=State Herbarium of South Australia |access-date=22 August 2020}}{{cite journal |last1=Conn |first1=Barry John |title=A taxonomic revision of Prostanthera Labill. Section Klanderia (F.v.Muell.) Benth. (Labiatae). |journal=Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens |date=1984 |volume=6 |issue=3 |pages=303–305 |url=https://data.environment.sa.gov.au/Content/Publications/JABG06P207_Conn.pdf |access-date=22 August 2020}}
Taxonomy
Prostanthera calycina was first formally described in 1870 by George Bentham from an unpublished description by Ferdinand von Mueller and the description was published in Flora Australiensis.{{cite web |title=Prostanthera calycina |url=https://id.biodiversity.org.au/instance/apni/540704 |website=Australian Plant Name Index |access-date=22 August 2020}}{{cite book |last1=Bentham |first1=George |last2=von Mueller |first2=Ferdinand |title=Flora Australiensis |date=1870 |pages=107–108 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/26124467#page/119/mode/1up |access-date=22 August 2020}}
Distribution and habitat
West coast mintbush is only known from the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia where it usually grows on limestone outcrops in mallee vegetation.
Conservation status
West coast mintbush is classified as "vulnerable" under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the South Australian Government National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972. The main threats to the species include grazing, habitat fragmentation and road maintenance.{{cite web |title=Approved Conservation Advice for Prostanthera calycina (West Coast Mintbush) |url=http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/species/pubs/9470-conservation-advice.pdf |publisher=Australian Government Department of the Environment |access-date=22 August 2020}}
Use in horticulture
This mintbush is easily propagated from cuttings or by grafting onto Prostanthera nivea and grows best in dry climates in well drained soil.{{cite web |title=Prostanthera calycina |url=http://anpsa.org.au/p-cal.html |publisher=Australian Native Plants Society (Australia) |access-date=22 August 2020}}