Grevillea christineae
Grevillea christineae, commonly known as Christine's grevillea,[3] is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, rounded shrub with wiry branches, linear to narrowly elliptic leaves, and white flowers.
| Christine's grevillea | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Proteales |
| Family: | Proteaceae |
| Genus: | Grevillea |
| Species: | G. christineae |
| Binomial name | |
| Grevillea christineae | |
Description edit
Grevillea christineae is an erect, rounded shrub that typically grows to a height of 0.5–1 m (1 ft 8 in – 3 ft 3 in) and has wiry, zig-zagging branchlets. Its leaves are linear to narrowly elliptic, 20–60 mm (0.79–2.36 in) long and 1–6.5 mm (0.039–0.256 in) wide, with the edges rolled under and both surfaces more or less glabrous. The flowers are arranged in groups of eight to twelve in leaf axils or on the ends of branchlets and are white, sometimes turning pink or red as they age, the pistil 7.0–8.5 mm (0.28–0.33 in) long. Flowering occurs in August and September and the fruit is a narrowly oval follicle 10–15 mm (0.39–0.59 in) long.[3][4][5]
Taxonomy edit
Grevillea christineae was first formally described in 1986 by Donald McGillivray in his book New Names in Grevillea (Proteaceae) from specimens collected in 1979 near Goomalling by Alex George.[6] The specific epithet (christineae) honours Christine Cornish, who assisted McGillivray.[7]
Distribution and habitat edit
Grevillea christineae grows in woodland and shrubland in scattered populations between Watheroo and Goomalling in the Avon Wheatbelt, Geraldton Sandplains and Jarrah Forest biogeographic regions of south-western Western Australia.[3][4][5]
Conservation status edit
This species is listed "endangered" under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and as "Threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife, meaning that it is in danger of extinction.[8] The main threats to the species are damage or clearing during road maintenance work, inappropriate fire regimes and rubbish dumping. Other threats to this species include vegetation clearing, competition from invasive weeds and changed hydrology, including salinity. It may also be susceptible to dieback disease from the plant pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi.[1][3][5]
References edit
- ^ a b Keighery, G.; Makinson, R.; Monks, L. (2020). "Grevillea christineae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T112649511A113307796. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T112649511A113307796.en. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
- ^ "Grevillea christineae". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
- ^ a b c d "Approved conservation advice for Grevillea christineae (Christine's Grevillea)" (PDF). Australian Government Department of Primaty Industries, Water and the Environment. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
- ^ a b "Grevillea christineae". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
- ^ a b c "Grevillea christineae". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
- ^ "Grevillea christineae". APNI. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
- ^ Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 162. ISBN 9780958034180.
- ^ "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 27 February 2022.