Prostanthera tozerana

Prostanthera tozerana is a species of flowering plant that is endemic to Mount Tozer in Queensland. It is a small, compact shrub with hairy branchlets, thick egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and pale purplish-mauve flowers.

Prostanthera tozerana
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Prostanthera
Species:
P. tozerana
Binomial name
Prostanthera tozerana
B.J.Conn & T.C.Wilson[2]
Occurrence data from AVH

Description

Prostanthera tozerana is a shrub that typically grows to a height of 0.2–1.5 m (7.9 in–4 ft 11.1 in) with moderately hairy branches. The leaves are dull green, thick and slightly fleshy, egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, 10–15 mm (0.39–0.59 in) long and 5–8 mm (0.20–0.31 in) wide on a petiole 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) long. The flowers are arranged in groups of four to eight near the ends of branchlets, the sepals greenish purple, moderately hairy and form a tube 2–2.5 mm (0.079–0.098 in) long with two lobes, the upper lobe 6.5–7 mm (0.26–0.28 in) long and the lower lobe about 4.5 mm (0.18 in) long. The petals are pale purplish-mauve and 12–15 mm (0.47–0.59 in) long, forming a tube 8.5–9 mm (0.33–0.35 in) long with two lips. The central lower lobe is 6.5–7.5 mm (0.26–0.30 in) long and the side lobes are about 6–7 mm (0.24–0.28 in) long. The upper lip is broadly oblong, 6–6.5 mm (0.24–0.26 in) long and about 6.5 mm (0.26 in) wide with a central notch about 2 mm (0.079 in) deep.[3]

Taxonomy

Prostanthera tozerana was first formally described in 2015 by Barry Conn and Trevor Wilson in the journal Telopea, based on plant material collected on the summit of Mount Tozer.[3][4]

Distribution and habitat

This mintbush is only known from the summit of Mount Tozer in the Iron Range in far north Queensland, where it grows in exposed situations amongst boulders.[3]

Conservation status

Prostanthera tozerana is classified as "critically endangered" under the Queensland Government Nature Conservation Act 1992.[1]

References
  1. "Species profile—Prostanthera tozerana (Lamiaceae)". Queensland Government Department of Environment and Science. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  2. "Prostanthera tozerana". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  3. Conn, Barry J.; Wilson, Trevor C. (12 January 2015). "Prostanthera (Lamiaceae) from far-north Queensland, Australia". Telopea: 8–11. doi:10.7751/telopea20158145.
  4. "Prostanthera tozerana". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
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