Andersonia pinaster
Species of flowering plant
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Andersonia pinaster is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is a slender, erect, pine-like shrub with twisted, narrowly egg-shaped to almost linear leaves and bright blue, tube-shaped flowers.
| Andersonia pinaster | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Ericaceae |
| Genus: | Andersonia |
| Species: | A. pinaster |
| Binomial name | |
| Andersonia pinaster Lemson[1] | |
Description
Andersonia pinaster is a slender, erect, pine-like shrub, that typically grows up to 0.5–1 m (1 ft 8 in – 3 ft 3 in) high. The leaves are twisted, narrowly egg-shaped to almost linear, and 10–20 mm (0.39–0.79 in) long. The flowers are arranged on the ends of branches, hidden by leaf-like appendages until the flowers open, the sepals narrowly egg-shaped, 9.5–14 mm (0.37–0.55 in) long and green. The petals are bright blue and form a narrowly urn-shaped tube 9.5–14 mm (0.37–0.55 in) long with widely spreading lobes 5.8–8 mm (0.23–0.31 in) long with soft hairs that form a tuft at the end of the lobe. The stamens are 6.2–10 mm (0.24–0.39 in) long, the anthers white, 1.3–2.0 mm (0.051–0.079 in) long. Flowering occurs from July to September.[2][3]
Taxonomy
Andersonia pinaster was first formally described in 2007 by Kristina L. Lemson in the journal Nuytsia from specimens collected near Betty's Beach by Greg Keighery in 1986.[2][4] The specific epithet (pinaster) refers to the habit of mature plants, which resemble a small pine tree.[2]
Distribution and habitat
This species of Andersonia grows in low heath in Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve in the Jarrah Forest bioregion of southern Western Australia.[3]
Conservation status
Andersonia pinaster is listed as "Threatened Flora (Declared Rare Flora — Extant)" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.[3][5]