Grevillea callichlaena
Grevillea callichlaena, commonly known as Mt. Benambra grevillea,[2] is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to a restricted part of Victoria in Australia. It is a spreading shrub with elliptic, egg-shaped or broadly lance-shaped leaves, and uniformly red flowers.
| Mt. Benambra grevillea | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Grevillea callichlaena in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Proteales |
| Family: | Proteaceae |
| Genus: | Grevillea |
| Species: | G. callichlaena |
| Binomial name | |
| Grevillea callichlaena | |
Description
Grevillea callichlaena is a spreading shrub that typically grows to 1.5–1.8 m (4 ft 11 in – 5 ft 11 in) high and 2–3 m (7–10 ft) wide and has densely silky-hairy branchlets. Its leaves are elliptic, egg-shaped or lance-shaped, sometimes broadly so, sometimes with the narrower end towards the base, mostly 37–75 mm (1.5–3.0 in) long and 19–28 mm (0.75–1.10 in) wide with the edges turned down. The lower surface of the leaves is silky-hairy and the veins are conspicuous. The flowers are arranged in pendulous groups of twenty to forty on the ends of branchlets on a rachis 35–50 mm (1.4–2.0 in) long, and are uniformally red and silky-hairy on the outside, the pistil 19.5–22 mm (0.77–0.87 in) long. Flowering occurs from October to March, but sometimes in other months, and the fruit is a more or less glabrous follicle 13–18 mm (0.51–0.71 in) long.[2][3]
Taxonomy
Grevillea callichlaena was first formally described in 2005 by Bill Molyneux and Val Stajsic in the journal Muelleria from specimens collected from Mount Benambra in the Alpine National Park in 2002.[3][4] The specific epithet (callichlaena) means "beauty-cloak", referring to the hairs covering the flowers.[3]
Distribution and habitat
Mt. Benambra grevillea grows in woodland, often between scattered granite boulders, in two isolated populations on Mount Benambra in north-eastern Victoria.[2][3]
Conservation status
The species is listed as "endangered" on the Department of Environment and Primary Industries Advisory list of rare or threatened plants in Victoria - 2014.[5]
References
- "Grevillea callichleana". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- Stajsic, Val. "Grevillea callichleana". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- Stajsic, Val; Molyneux, William M. (2005). "Taxonomic studies on the Grevillea victoriae F.Muell. species complex (Proteaceae:Grevilleoideae) I. Descriptions of nine previously segragated, and three new taxa". Muelleria. 22: 38–40. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- "Grevillea callichlaena". APNI. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- "Advisory list of rare or threatened plants in Victoria - 2014" (PDF). Department of Environment and Primary Industries. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
