Spyridium vexilliferum
{{short description|Species of plant}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Speciesbox
|name = Winged spyridium
|image = Spyridium vexilliferum.jpg
|image_caption = In the Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne
|genus = Spyridium
|species = vexilliferum
|authority = (Hook.) Reissek{{cite web |title=Spyridium vexilliferum |url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/55397 |publisher=Australian Plant Census |access-date=26 November 2022}}
|synonyms =
- Cryptandra vexillifera Hook.
- Spyridium diffusum Reissek
- Spyridium eriocephalum var. vexilliferum (Hook.) F.Muell.
- Trymalium diversifolium F.Muell. nom. inval., nom. nud.
}}
File:Spyridium Vexilliferum 2.jpg]]
Spyridium vexilliferum, commonly known as winged spyridium,{{cite web |title=Spyridium vexilliferum |url=http://www.flora.sa.gov.au/cgi-bin/speciesfacts_display.cgi?form=speciesfacts&name=Spyridium_vexilliferum |publisher=State Herbarium of South Australia |access-date=26 November 2022}} or helicopter bush,{{cite web |title=Spyridium vexilliferum var. vexilliferum |url=https://www.naturalvaluesatlas.tas.gov.au/downloadattachment?id=14559 |publisher=Tasmanian Government Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment |access-date=26 November 2022}} is a species of flowering plant in the family Rhamnaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a small, low-lying to erect shrub with linear to narrowly elliptic leaves, and dense heads of small white flowers.
Description
Spyridium vexilliferum is a low-lying to erect shrub that typically grows to a height of up to {{cvt|1.5|m}} and has its branchlets densely covered with star-shaped, often rust-coloured hairs. The leaves are linear to narrowly elliptic, {{cvt|8–25|mm}} long and {{cvt|1–7|mm}} wide with narrow, brown stipules {{cvt|1–3|mm}} long at the base. The edges of the leaves are rolled under, the upper surface glabrous and shiny, the lower surface covered with whitish hairs or often obscured. The heads of "flowers" are about {{cvt|5|mm}} in diameter and shaggy-hairy surrounded by up to 4 egg-shaped or oblong, woolly-white floral leaves. Flowering mainly occurs from September to January.{{cite web |last1=Walsh |first1=Neville G. |title=Spyridium vexilliferum |url=https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/flora/taxon/35a88e58-5e4f-458c-97cb-114a2517d631 |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria |access-date=26 November 2022}}
Taxonomy
In 1834, William Jackson Hooker described Cryptandra vexillifera in The Journal of Botany from specimens collected at Port Dalrymple.{{cite web|title=Cryptandra vexillifera|url= https://id.biodiversity.org.au/instance/apni/508516 |publisher=APNI|accessdate=26 November 2022}}{{cite journal |last1=Hooker |first1=William Jackson |title=Contributions Towards a Flora of Van Dieman's Land; from collections sent by R. W. Lawrence, and Ronald Gunn, Esqrs., and by Dr. Scott. |journal=The Journal of Botany |date=1834 |volume=1 |page=257 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/796108#page/279/mode/1up |accessdate=26 November 2022}} In 1858, Siegfried Reissek changed the name to Spyridium vexilliferum in the journal Linnea.{{cite web|title=Spyridium vexilliferum|url= https://id.biodiversity.org.au/instance/apni/457543 |publisher=APNI|accessdate=26 November 2022}} The specific epithet (vexilliferum) means "standard-bearing".{{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=335 |edition=3rd}}
In 1863, George Bentham described S. vexilliferum var. latifolium in Flora Australiensis,{{cite book |last1=Bentham |first1=George |title=Flora Australiensis |volume=1 |date=1863 |publisher=Lovell Reeve & Co. |location=London |page=434 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/3669#page/492/mode/1up |access-date=26 November 2022}} and the name, and that of the autonym are accepted by the Australian Plant Census:
- Spyridium vexilliferum var. latifolium Benth.{{cite web |title=Spyridium vexilliferum var. latifolium |url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/55413 |publisher=Australian Plant Census |access-date=26 November 2022}} is a low-lying shrub up to about {{cvt|80|cm}} high with linear to narrowly elliptic leaves up to {{cvt|3|mm}} wide and elliptic floral leaves.{{cite web |last1=Walsh |first1=Neville G. |title=Spyridium vexilliferum var. latifolium |url=https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/flora/taxon/51e108c3-0672-42dc-afde-19571613ea0c |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria |access-date=26 November 2022}}{{cite web |title=Spyridium vexilliferum var. latifolium |url=http://www.flora.sa.gov.au/cgi-bin/speciesfacts_display.cgi?genus=Spyridium&species=vexilliferum&iname=latifolium |publisher=State Herbarium of South Australia |access-date=26 November 2022}}
- Spyridium vexilliferum (Hook.) Reissek var. vexilliferum Benth.{{cite web |title=Spyridium vexilliferum var. vexilliferum |url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/55423 |publisher=Australian Plant Census |access-date=26 November 2022}} is a low-lying to erect shrub up to about {{cvt|1.4|m}} high with linear to narrowly elliptic leaves {{cvt|3–7|mm}} wide and more or less round floral leaves.{{cite web |last1=Walsh |first1=Neville G. |title=Spyridium vexilliferum var. vexilliferum |url=https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/flora/taxon/a0327a16-edcc-4bd4-82aa-c1e1cd0f735f |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria |access-date=26 November 2022}}{{cite web |title=Spyridium vexilliferum var. vexilliferum |url=http://www.flora.sa.gov.au/cgi-bin/speciesfacts_display.cgi?genus=Spyridium&species=vexilliferum&iname=vexilliferum |publisher=State Herbarium of South Australia |access-date=26 November 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Jordan |first1=Greg |title=Spyridium vexilliferum |url=https://www.utas.edu.au/dicotkey/dicotkey/RHAMN/sSpyridium_vexilliferum.htm |publisher=University of Tasmania |access-date=26 November 2022}}
Distribution and habitat
The variety vexilliferum grows in sandy heath, heathy woodland or mallee and on rocky outcrops from the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia to scattered locations in south-western Victoria and in the east, north and west of Tasmania. Variety latifolium is only known from south-eastern South Australia to the Portland area in south-western Victoria.
Conservation status
Spyridium vexilliferum var. vexilliferum is listed as "rare" in Tasmania under the Tasmanian Government Threatened Species Protection Act 1995.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from1=Q3494319|from2=Q66122587|from3=Q61717337}}
Category:Flora of South Australia
Category:Flora of Victoria (state)