Mirbelia pungens
| Mirbelia pungens | |
|---|---|
| |
| Near Bemboka | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Faboideae |
| Genus: | Mirbelia |
| Species: | M. pungens
|
| Binomial name | |
| Mirbelia pungens | |
Mirbelia pungens, commonly known as prickly mirbelia,[2] is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It is an erect or prostrate shrub with sharply-pointed linear leaves and orange-red flowers with blue or purple markings.
Description[edit]
Mirbelia pungens is an erect or prostrate shrub that typically grows to a height of 0.3–0.5 m (1 ft 0 in – 1 ft 8 in), and has softly-hairy stems. Its leaves are linear and sharply pointed, mostly 8–15 mm (0.31–0.59 in) long, about 1 mm (0.039 in) wide on a petiole up to 0.5 mm (0.020 in) long. The flowers are arranged singly or in groups of up to four in leaf axils on a peduncle up to about 1 mm (0.039 in) long. The sepals are 2.5–4.0 mm (0.098–0.157 in) long, softly-hairy and joined at the base, the lobes shorter than the sepal tube. The standard petal is orange-red with blue or purple markings, the keel purplish and nearly as long as the wings. Flowering occurs from September to November and the fruit is an oval pod about 3 mm (0.12 in) long.[2][3]
Taxonomy[edit]
Mirbelia pungens was first formally described in 1832 by George Don in A General History of Dichlamydeous Plants from an unpublished manuscript by Allan Cunningham.[4][5] The specific epithet (pungens) means "ending in a sharp, hard point".[6]
Distribution and habitat[edit]
This mirbelia grows in stony areas in heath and is widespread in south-eastern Queensland, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and in the far north-east of Victoria.[2]
Conservation status[edit]
Mirbelia pungens is listed as "vulnerable in Victoria" on the Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment's Advisory List of Rare Or Threatened Plants In Victoria.[7]
References[edit]
- ^ "Mirbelia pungens". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
- ^ a b c Porteners, Marianne F. "Mirbelia pungens". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
- ^ Jeanes, Jeff A. "Mirbelia pungens". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
- ^ "Mirbelia pungens". APNI. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
- ^ Don, George (1832). A General History of Dichlamydeous Plants. London: J.G and F. Rivington. p. 126. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
- ^ Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 287. ISBN 9780958034180.
- ^ "Advisory List of Rare Or Threatened Plants In Victoria - 2014" (PDF). Department of Sustainability and Environment (Victoria). p. 32. Retrieved 13 July 2022.