Calothamnus chrysanthereus

Calothamnus chrysanthereus , commonly known as claw flower is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with needle-shaped leaves crowded on the ends of the branches and bright red flowers in spring. (In 2014 Craven, Edwards and Cowley proposed that the species be renamed Melaleuca chrysantherea.)[2]

Calothamnus chrysanthereus
Calothamnus chrysanthereus growing on Red Bluff near Kalbarri
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Calothamnus
Species:
C. chrysanthereus
Binomial name
Calothamnus chrysanthereus

Description

Calothamnus chrysanthereus is an erect, dense or spreading shrub which grows to a height of about 1.5 metres (5 ft) with corky bark on the older branches. Its leaves are crowded near the ends of the branches, needle-like, mostly 50–90 millimetres (2–4 in) long and 1.0–1.4 millimetres (0.04–0.06 in) wide, circular in cross section and tapering at the end to a sharp point.[3][4]

The flowers are arranged in clusters or loose spikes of up to 10, mostly on the older leafless stems. The five petals are 3–5 millimetres (0.1–0.2 in) long and papery. The stamens are bright red and arranged in 5 claw-like bundles with 24 to 28 stamens per bundle. Flowering occurs from August to December and is followed by fruits which are woody capsules, 12–15 millimetres (0.5–0.6 in) long.[3][5]

Calothamnus chrysanthereus growth habit
Calothamnus chrysanthereus fruiting capsule

Taxonomy and naming

Claw flower was first formally described in 1862 by Ferdinand von Mueller in Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae.[1][4] In 1867, George Bentham made a complete description, giving the name Calothamnus chrysantherus.[5] In 2010, Alex George restored the name Calothamnus chrysanthereus .[6]

Distribution and habitat

This calothamnus is common in the heathlands north of Geraldton in the Geraldton Sandplains and Yalgoo biogeographic regions.[3][7] It grows in sandy soil in a range of situations.[8]

Conservation

Calothamnus chrysanthereus is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian government Department of Parks and Wildlife.[7]

References
  1. "Calothamnus chrysanthereus". APNI. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  2. Craven, Lyn A.; Edwards, Robert D.; Cowley, Kirsten J. (30 June 2014). "New combinations and names in Melaleuca (Myrtaceae)". Taxon. 63 (3): 665. doi:10.12705/633.38.
  3. Hawkeswood, Trevor J. "Studies in the genus Calothamnus (Myrtaceae: Leptospermoideae): Redescription of Calothamnus chrysantherus F. Muell., with notes on distribution, habitat and conservation and a list of collection records" (PDF). Trevor J. Hawkeswood. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  4. von Mueller, Ferdinand (1862). Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae. Melbourne. pp. 112–113. Retrieved 31 July 2015.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. Bentham, George; von Mueller, Ferdinand (1867). Flora Australiensis (Volume 3). London: Lovell, Reeve and Co. p. 176. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  6. George, Alex S. (2010). "alothamnus (Myrtaceae): precursor paper to Flora of Australia" (PDF). Nuytsia. 20: 188. doi:10.58828/nuy00588. S2CID 88190505. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  7. "Calothamnus chrysanthereus ". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  8. Paczkowska, Grazyna; Chapman, Alex R. (2000). The Western Australian flora : a descriptive catalogue. Perth: Wildflower Society of Western Australia. p. 350. ISBN 0646402439.
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