Verticordia plumosa

taxobox
name = "Verticordia plumosa"

---

regnum = Plantae
unranked_divisio = Angiosperms
unranked_classis = Eudicots
unranked_ordo = Rosids
ordo = Myrtales
familia = Myrtaceae
genus = "Verticordia"
species = "V. plumosa"
binomial = "Verticordia plumosa"
binomial_authority = (Desfontaines) Druce
subdivision_ranks = Varietie
subdivision = see text|

"Verticordia plumosa" is a shrub, up to 1.4 m tall, found in Southwest Australia. It was one of the first "Verticordia" species to be collected and described. It is known by a common name, the Plumed Featherflower. [George, E.A. (2002), Verticordia: the turner of hearts: 182]

Description

It may possess a lignotuber, and one or several basal stems. It is openly branched and has linear leaves, 1.5-14 mm long.The scented flowers are pink, mauve or white with a deeper colouration at the cente, these are bunched in rounded forms at the upper branches.

Habit and distribution

The species has been recorded in all regions of the Southwest Botanical Province, occasionally being found at restricted locations of the more arid areas. Distribution is also known to extend toward Coolgardie, usually "Verticordia plumosa" var. "incrassata", these plants are generally shorter, thicker, and more straggling in habit, a response to the extreme environment.

Taxonomy

Details of the specimens used in the first description of the species are uncertain. The plant was probably first collected by Archibald Menzies, October 1791; the type collection was made by J Leschenault, in 1803, both at the King George Sound, Western Australia. William Baxter collected another early specimen in 1829.

It is the basionym of "Chamelaucium plumosum" Desf., and the plant was also described as "Verticordia fontanesii" DC. (1828) [Candolle, A.P. de (Ed) (1828), Prodromus 3: 209 [http://www.cpbr.gov.au/cgi-bin/apni?taxon_id=31388 APNI] ] in a nomination no longer accepted.

Varieties

In a revision of the genus "Verticordia" by A.S. George in 1991, seven varieties were described:
*"Verticordia plumosa" (Desf.) Druce var. "plumosa"
*"Verticordia plumosa" var. "ananeotes" A.S. George (1991)
*"Verticordia plumosa" var. "brachyphylla" (Diels) A.S.George
*"Verticordia plumosa" var. "grandiflora" (Bentham) A.S.George
*"Verticordia plumosa" var. "incrassata" A.S.George
*"Verticordia plumosa" var. "pleiobotrya" A.S.George
*"Verticordia plumosa" var. "vassensis" A.S.George

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= 182-195 |chapter= |chapterurl= |quote= "Verticordia plumosa" Tabs: 24; var. a - g

External links

*
*APNI | name = "Verticordia plumosa" Druce | id = 49050