Stirlingia latifolia

taxobox
name = Blueboy
regnum = Plantae
unranked_divisio = Angiosperms
unranked_classis = Eudicots
ordo = Proteales
familia = Proteaceae
genus = "Stirlingia"
species = "S. latifolia"
binomial = "Stirlingia latifolia"
binomial_authority = (R.Br.) Steud.
synonyms = *"Stirlingia paniculata" Lindl.|

"Stirlingia latifolia", commonly known as Blueboy, is a plant endemic to Western Australia.

Description

It grows as an erect shrub from 20 centimetres to 1.5 metres high, consisting of numerous stems up to 70 centimetres long, emerging from an underground lignotuber. Leaves are leathery, up to 10 centimetres long, and bifurcate into lobes up to three times. They extend well up the stems. Flowers occur in a panicle atop a scape up to 1.5 metres high.FloraBase | name = "Stirlingia latifolia" (R.Br.) Steud. | id = 2316] Flora of Australia Online | name = "Stirlingia latifolia" (R.Br.) Steud. | id = 2050]

Taxonomy

"Stirlingia latifolia" was first published by Robert Brown in 1830 under the name "Simsia latifolia". It was later discovered that the generic name "Simsia", published by Brown in 1810, was illegitimate, as it had already been published in 1807 for a genus of "Asteraceae". A new generic name, "Stirlingia", was published in 1838, but the transfer of the species published under "Simsia" was overlooked at first. "Simsia latifolia" would not be transferred into "Stirlingia" until 1841, when Ernst Steudel published "Stirlingia latifolia" (R.Br.) Steud.APNI | name = "Simsia latifolia" R.Br. | id = 22257] APNI | name = "Stirlingia latifolia" (R.Br.) Steud. | id = 29929] Meanwhile, John Lindley had published "Stirlingia paniculata" in his 1839 "A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony";A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony] this would later be shown to be a synonym of "S. latifolia".APNI | name = "Stirlingia paniculata" Lindl. | id = 29952] An attempt was later made to reinstate the name "Simsia"; resulting in its use by Carl Ostenfeld in 1921 when he published a purported variety, "Simsia latifolia" var. "gracilis".APNI | name = "Simsia latifolia" var. "gracilis" Ostenf. | id = 22276] This attempt was later rejected.

In 1995, Alex George published a thorough treatment of the "Stirlingia" for the "Flora of Australia" series of monographs. He reduced numerous names to synonymy, including declaring both "S. paniculata" and variety "gracilis" to be taxonomically indistinguishable from "S. latifolia" itself, and therefore synonymous. No infrageneric arrangement has been proffered for the genus, but George placed the species close to "S. anethifolia". It has no recognised subspecies or varieties.Flora of Australia Online | name = Stirlingia | id = 2049]

The common name Blueboy refers to the fact that wall plaster made using sand taken from where "S. latifolia" occurs turns blue.

Distribution and habitat

It occurs throughout western parts of Western Australia's Southwest Botanical Province, ranging from Kalbarri in the north, south to Albany. In many areas it is very common. It grows in deep sand, amongst heath, shrubland and woodland.

Ecology

The species is not considered threatened.

References