Verticordia mirabilis

Verticordia mirabilis is a bushy shrub which grows to a height of 30–60 cm (10–20 in) and about 60 cm (20 in) wide but sometimes grows as high as 1 m (3 ft). Its leaves are crowded on short side-branches, linear in shape, triangular or almost circular in cross-section, 3–6.5 mm (0.1–0.3 in) long and have small, irregular teeth near the tips.[2]

The flowers are arranged singly or in small groups near the ends of the branches, each flower 20–23 mm (0.8–0.9 in) in diameter on a thick stalk 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) long. The floral cup is top-shaped, 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long glabrous with 5 ribs and 5 large swellings near the top. The sepals are pale pink, 10–11 mm (0.39–0.43 in) long 16 mm (0.6 in) wide and have 6 to 8 hairy lobes. The sepals also have two hairy, ear-like appendages which bend over the hypanthium. The petals are spreading, dark red, egg-shaped, sometimes have a few irregular teeth and are 8–11 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long. The style is 16–20 mm (0.6–0.8 in) long with a few hairs near the tip. Flowering time is mainly during September and October.[2]

Verticordia mirabilis was first formally described by Elizabeth and Alex George in 2001 from specimen collected near Warburton and the description was published in Nuytsia.[1][3] The specific epithet (mirabilis) is derived from a Latin word meaning "wonderful" or "strange"[4] referring to "the wonder and astonishment of discovering a species of Verticordia so far beyond the previously known occurrence of the genus, in a desert habitat."[2]

This species was placed in subgenus Eperephes, section Integripetala along with helmsii, V. rennieana, V. interioris, and V. picta.[3]

This verticordia is only found in lateritic soil on a rocky breakaway south of Warburton, growing with Verticordia jamiesonii[2] in the Gibson Desert biogeographic region.[5]

Verticordia mirabilis is classified as "Priority One" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife[5] meaning that it is known from only one or a few locations which are potentially at risk.[6]

This recently discovered species has been propagated from cuttings and grown in pots to flowering stage but its horticultural requirements are not yet well understood.[2]