Androcalva viscidula

Androcalva viscidula is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a spreading shrub that forms suckers, its new stems densely hairy, and has egg-shaped leaves, sometimes with irregular teeth on the edges, and groups of 22 to 28 white flowers.

Androcalva viscidula
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Genus: Androcalva
Species:
A. viscidula
Binomial name
Androcalva viscidula
Synonyms[1]
  • Commersonia sp. (Mt Tinbeerwah G.P.Guymer 1786)
  • Commersonia sp. 1
  • Commersonia viscidula Guymer

Description

Androcalva viscidula is a spreading shrub that typically grows to 1–3 m (3 ft 3 in – 9 ft 10 in) high, 1–2 m (3 ft 3 in – 6 ft 7 in) wide, is sticky to touch and forms suckers, its new growth covered with star-shaped and red-tipped glandular hairs. The leaves are egg-shaped, 10–110 mm (0.39–4.33 in) long and 10–55 mm (0.39–2.17 in) wide on a petiole 3–12 mm (0.12–0.47 in) long with narrowly triangular stipules 3–9 mm (0.12–0.35 in) long at the base. The edges of the leaves sometimes have irregular teeth, and both surfaces of the leaves are covered with star-shaped and glandular hairs. The flowers are arranged in cymes of 22 to 28, 35–80 mm (1.4–3.1 in) long on a peduncle 6–35 mm (0.24–1.38 in) long. Each flower is on a pedicel 4–7 mm (0.16–0.28 in) long, with lance-shaped bracts 3–7 mm (0.12–0.28 in) long at the base. The flowers are white, 5–8 mm (0.20–0.31 in) in diameter with 5 petal-like sepals covered with star-shaped and glandular hairs. The petals are white to cream-coloured with three lobes, the centre lobe spatula-shaped and the side lobes form a cup around the anthers. Flowering occurs from August to February.[2][3][4]

Taxonomy

This species was first formally described in 2005 by Gordon Guymer who gave it the name Commersonia viscidula in the journal Austrobaileya, from specimens he collected on Mount Tinbeerwah in 1981.[5] In 2011, Carolyn Wilkins and Barbara Whitlock transferred the species to Androcalva as A. viscidula in Australian Systematic Botany.[6] The specific epithet (viscidula) refers to the sticky branchlets, leaves and flower parts of this species.[3][7]

Distribution and habitat

Androcalva viscidula grows in a variety of habitat from heathland to forest, from the Woowoonga Range in south-eastern Queensland to Bulga on the Central Coast of New South Wales.[2][3][4]

References

  1. "Androcalva viscidula". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  2. Blake, Trevor L. (2021). Lantern bushes of Australia ; Thomasias & allied genera : a field and horticultural guide. Victoria: Australian Plants Society, Keilor Plains Group. pp. 156–157. ISBN 9780646839301.
  3. Guymer, Gordon P. (2005). "New species of Commersonia J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. (Sterculiaceae) from Eastern Australia and Vanuatu". Austrobaileya. 7 (1): 233–235. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  4. Conn, Barry J.; Orme, Andrew E. "Androcalva viscidula". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  5. "Commersonia viscidula". APNI. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  6. "Androcalva viscidula". APNI. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  7. Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 336. ISBN 9780958034180.
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