Diocirea acutifolia

Diocirea acutifolia is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to a small area near Norseman in Western Australia. The branches and leaves produce sticky resin which sometimes covers the whole plant making it appear bluish grey. This species is distinguished from the three others in the genus by its leaves which are longer than 6 millimetres (0.2 in) and the prominent resin glands on its stems.

Diocirea acutifolia

Priority Three — Poorly Known Taxa (DEC)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Genus: Diocirea
Species:
D. acutifolia
Binomial name
Diocirea acutifolia
R.J.Chinnock[1]

Description

Diocirea acutifolia is a shrub with many stems which sometimes grows to a height of 0.6 metres (2 ft) and spreads to a width of 0.8 metres (3 ft). Its branches are covered with raised light brown glands which produce a white resin. The leaves are arranged in a spiral around the stems and are mostly 6.6–9.5 millimetres (0.3–0.4 in) long, 1–1.5 millimetres (0.04–0.06 in) wide, linear in shape and often blue-green in colour due to dried resin on their surfaces.[2]

The flowers are borne singly in leaf axils and lack a stalk. There are 5 egg-shaped, pointed green sepals and 5 petals. The petals are white or pale violet joined to form a tube 2–3 millimetres (0.08–0.1 in) long with lobes which are also 2–3 millimetres (0.08–0.1 in) long and often spotted with purple, extending into the tube. The tube is mostly glabrous except for a few hairs on the bottom lobe and inside the tube. There are 4 stamens which extend slightly beyond the petal tube. The fruit that follows flowering is oval-shaped, surrounded by a hairy shell and is about 2 by 3 millimetres (0.08 in × 0.1 in).[2]

Taxonomy and naming

Diocirea acutifolia was first formally described by taxonomist Bob Chinnock in Eremophila and allied genera: a monograph of the plant family Myoporaceae in 2007[1][2] from a specimen collected near Kambalda, about 45 kilometres (30 mi) north of the Lake Cowan Causeway. The specific epithet (acutifolia) is derived from "Latin acutifolia, acute-leaved".[2]

Distribution and habitat

Diocirea acutifolia occurs in a small area north of Norseman in the Coolgardie biogeographic region where it grows in woodland on gravelly loam.[2][3][4]

Conservation

Diocirea acutifolia has been classified as "Priority Three" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife[3] meaning that it is poorly known and known from only a few locations but is not under imminent threat.[5]

References
  1. "Diocirea acutifolia Chinnock". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
  2. Chinnock, R.J. (Bob) (2007). Eremophila and allied genera : a monograph of the plant family Myoporaceae (1st ed.). Dural, NSW: Rosenberg. pp. 172–174. ISBN 9781877058165.
  3. "Diocirea acutifolia Chinnock". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  4. Paczkowska, Grazyna; Chapman, Alex R. (2000). The Western Australian flora : a descriptive catalogue. Perth: Wildflower Society of Western Australia. p. 332. ISBN 0646402439.
  5. "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
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