Asterolasia beckersii

Asterolasia beckersii, commonly known as Dungowan starbush,[2] is a species of erect shrub in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to a restricted area of New South Wales. It has woolly, star-shaped hairs on its branchlets, egg-shaped to lance-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base and covered with star-shaped hairs, and white flowers arranged singly in leaf axils, the back of the petals covered with star-like hairs.

Dungowan starbush
Asterolasia beckersii
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Rutaceae
Genus: Asterolasia
Species:
A. beckersii
Binomial name
Asterolasia beckersii
Orme & Duretto[1]
Synonyms[1]

Asterolasia sp. 'Dungowan Creek'

Description

Asterolasia beckersii is an erect shrub that typically grows to a height of 1.5–3.5 m (4 ft 11 in–11 ft 6 in) with its branchlets covered with woolly, fawnish star-shaped hairs. The leaves are egg-shaped to lance-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, 15–40 mm (0.59–1.57 in) long and 5–12 mm (0.20–0.47 in) wide on a petiole about 5 mm (0.20 in) long. The upper surface of the leaves is sparsely hairy and the lower surface covered with greenish to fawnish, woolly, star-shaped hairs. The flowers are arranged singly in leaf axils on a pedicel 2–7 mm (0.079–0.276 in) long. The petals are white, about 6 mm (0.24 in) long and covered on the back with woolly, white star-shaped hairs. Flowering has been observed in October.[2][3][4]

Taxonomy

Asterolasia beckersii was first formally described in 2017 by Andrew Orme and Marco Duretto in the journal Telopea from specimens collected near Dungowan Dam near Tamworth in 2003.[4] The specific (beckersii) honours Doug Beckers for discovering the species.[5]

Distribution and habitat

Dungowan starbush is only known from the type location where in grows in rocky soil along a creekbank.[3]

Conservation status

This plant is listed as "endangered" under the New South Wales Government Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 . The main threats to the species are its small population size and restricted distribution, road and track maintenance and weed invasion.[2]

References
  1. "Asterolasia beckersii". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  2. "Dungowan starbush - profile". New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  3. "Asterolasia beckersii". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  4. Orme, Andrew E.; Duretto, Marco F. (2017). "Asterolasia beckersii (Rutaceae), a new species from the Northern Tablelands, New South Wales". Telopea. 20: 165–169. doi:10.7751/telopea11292.
  5. "Asterolasia beckersii". APNI. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
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