Scaevola auriculata
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Scaevola auriculata | |
|---|---|
 | |
| In Porongurup National Park | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Goodeniaceae |
| Genus: | Scaevola |
| Species: | S. auriculata |
| Binomial name | |
| Scaevola auriculata | |
 | |
| Occurrence data from Australasian Virtual Herbarium | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Scaevola auriculata is a species of flowering plant in the family Goodeniaceae and is endemic to a small area in the south-west of Western Australia. It is a low-lying, straggling or ascending perennial herb with stem-clasping, elliptic to oblong and toothed leaves, blue or purple flowers and smooth oval fruit.
Scaevola auriculata is a low-lying, straggling or ascending perennial herb with stems up to 70 cm (28 in) long and covered with loose hairs. The leaves are sessile, stem-clasping, elliptic to oblong and toothed, 25–75 mm (0.98–2.95 in) long and 15–35 mm (0.59–1.38 in) wide. The flowers arranged in loose racemes with leaf-like bracts 5–10 mm (0.20–0.39 in) long and elliptic bracteoles 8–14 mm (0.31–0.55 in) long. The sepals are broadly egg-shaped, up to 0.5 mm (0.020 in) long and joined at the base. The petals are blue or purple, 15–27 mm (0.59–1.06 in) long, covered with loose hairs on the outside and bearded inside. The ovary has two locules with a pale brown beard. Flowering occurs from September to January, and the fruit is oval, 2.5–4 mm (0.098–0.157 in) long, smooth and covered with soft hairs.[2][3]
Taxonomy
Scaevola auriculata was first formally described in 1868 by George Bentham in his Flora Australiensis from specimens collected by James Drummmond.[4][5] The specific epithet (auriculata) means 'auriculate', referring to the leaves.[6]