Brachyloma stenolobum

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Brachyloma stenolobum

Priority One — Poorly Known Taxa (DEC)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Ericaceae
Genus: Brachyloma
Species:
B. stenolobum
Binomial name
Brachyloma stenolobum

Brachyloma stenolobum is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae and is endemic to a restricted area in the west of Western Australia. It is an erect, compact shrub with narrowly elliptic or elliptic leaves, and white, tube-shaped flowers.

Description[edit]

Brachyloma stenolobum is an erect, compact shrub that usually grows to about 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) high, 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) wide and has a single stem at ground level. The leaves are narrowly elliptic to elliptic, 3.0–4.8 mm (0.12–0.19 in) long and 1.3–2.0 mm (0.051–0.079 in) wide on a petiole 0.6–1.0 mm (0.024–0.039 in) long. The leaves are more or less glabrous and both sides are a similar shade of green. The flowers are arranged singly or in pairs in leaf axils on a peduncle 0.6–1.2 mm (0.024–0.047 in) long. There are egg-shaped bracts 0.5–0.7 mm (0.020–0.028 in) long and bracteoles 0.8–1.0 mm (0.031–0.039 in) long and 1.0–1.2 mm (0.039–0.047 in) wide at the base of the flowers. The sepals are egg-shaped or broadly egg-shaped, 1.3–1.5 mm (0.051–0.059 in) long, 1.2–1.4 mm (0.047–0.055 in) wide, and pale green or straw-coloured. The petals are white, and joined to form a tube 1.2–1.6 mm (0.047–0.063 in) long with narrowly triangular lobes 2.1–2.7 mm (0.083–0.106 in) long. Flowering has only been observed in May.[2][3]

Taxonomy and naming[edit]

Brachyloma stenolobum was first formally described 2014 by Michael Clyde Hislop and Raymond Jeffrey Cranfield in the journal Nuytsia from specimens collected by Hislop near Forrestaina in 2013.[2][4] The specific epithet (stenolobum) means "narrow lobe" and refers to the relatively narrow petal lobes.[2]

Distribution[edit]

This species of shrub grows in yellow sandplains in heath in the Forrestania area in the Coolgardie bioregion of south-western Western Australia.[3]

Conservation status[edit]

Brachyloma stenolobum is listed as "Priority One" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions,[3] meaning that it is known from only one or a few locations which are potentially at risk.[5]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Brachyloma stenolobum". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Hislop, Michael; Cranfield, Raymond J. (2014). "Brachyloma stenolobum (Ericaceae: Styphelioideae: Styphelieae), a new, white-flowered species for Western Australia". Nuytsia. 24: 259–261. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "Brachyloma stenolobum". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  4. ^ "Brachyloma stenolobum". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  5. ^ "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 23 November 2023.