Calothamnus affinis

Calothamnus affinis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Calothamnus
Species: C. affinis
Binomial name
Calothamnus affinis
Turcz.
Synonyms

Melaleuca relativa Craven & R.D.Edwards

Calothamnus affinis is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, compact, or spreading shrub with red to purple flowers in spring. (In 2014 Craven, Edwards and Cowley proposed that the species be renamed Melaleuca relativa.)[1]

Description

Calothamnus affinis is a compact shrub growing to a height of about 2.0 metres (7 ft) with pale green, cylindrical leaves with their end tapering to a point. The flowers have 5 sepals, 5 petals and stamens joined to form 5 claw-like bundles.[2]

Distribution and habitat

Calothamnus affinis occurs in the far south of Western Australia in the Stirling Range district in the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains and Jarrah Forest biogeographic regions. It grows in sandy soils and laterite.[3]

Taxonomy and naming

Calothamnus affinis was first formally described in 1852 by Nikolai Turczaninow.[4][5] The specific epithet (affinis) is a Latin word meaning "allied to"[6] referring to the similarity of this species to Calothamnus gracilis.[5]

Conservation

This species is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian government department of parks and wildlife.[3]

References

  1. Craven, Lyn A.; Edwards, Robert D.; Cowley, Kirsten J. (30 June 2014). "New combinations and names in Melaleuca (Myrtaceae)". Taxon. 63 (3): 667. doi:10.12705/633.38. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  2. Hawkeswood, Trevor J. (1984). "Nine new species of Calothamnus Labill. (Myrtaceae: Leptospermoideae) from Western Australia" (PDF). Nuytsia. 5 (1): 125. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Calothamnus affinis". FloraBase. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  4. "Calothamnus affinis". APNI. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  5. 1 2 Turczaninow, Nikolai (1852). "Myrtaceae Xerocarpicae in Nova Hollandia a cl. Drummond lectae et plerumque in collectione ejus quinta distributae, determinatae et descriptae.". Bulletin de la Classe Physico-Mathématique de l'Académie Impériale des Sciences de Saint-Pétersbourg. 10: 346. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  6. "affinis". Retrieved 23 July 2015.
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