Verticordia forrestii

taxobox
name = "Verticordia forrestii"
regnum = Plantae
unranked_divisio = Angiosperms
unranked_classis = Eudicots
unranked_ordo = Rosids
ordo = Myrtales
familia = Myrtaceae
genus = "Verticordia"
species = "Verticordia forrestii"
species_authority = F.Muell.|

"Verticordia forrestii" is a woody shrub that occurs in the north of Western Australia. It was named after an explorer and statesman, John Forrest, and first described by the botanist, Ferdinand von Mueller, in 1883. It is also known as Forrest's Featherflower.

The densely branched shrub is one of the many extraordinarily flowered "Verticordia" of the western botanical provinces. The flowers of this species are pink and reddish, or white, and fade out to the fringe. The single flowers are arranged on spiked groups that slightly splay outward on their branches. The occurrence is between Carnarvon and Onslow on the northwest coast, and distributed inland to the east and south. An early collection was made further northeast, at Roebourne, although it has not been found since then.

It is a common species in "Verticordia" sect. "Pennuligera", identified by its range and flowering earlier than its many cogenors.

It occurs in deep red or yellow sands, especially in the ridges, coastal dunes, and open scrub of the region.

The species is cultivated as an ornamental shrub, small in size, and usually presenting rose pink flowers that are profuse and perfumed. These appear during November, continuing until April, opening together and nearly covering the leaves and branches.

References

*cite book |last=George (Berndt) |first=Elizabeth A. |authorlink= |coauthors= Margaret Pieroni (illustrations) |editor= |others= |title= Verticordia: the turner of hearts|edition= |series= |date= |year=2002 |month= |publisher=University of Western Australia Press |location=Crawley |language= |isbn=1 876 268 46 8 |pages=p. 392, 393 |chapter= |chapterurl= |quote= 'Verticordia forrestii"
*