- Verticordia
:"For the
clam genus, see "Verticordia (bivalve) .taxobox
name = "Verticordia"
image_caption = "Verticordia plumosa"
regnum =Plantae
unranked_divisio =Angiosperm s
unranked_classis =Eudicot s
unranked_ordo =Rosid s
ordo =Myrtales
familia =Myrtaceae
genus = "Verticordia"
genus_authority = DC.
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = See text|"Verticordia", a
genus of theMyrtaceae family, are woodyshrub s with small and exquisite flowers. They are mostly found inSouthwest Australia , with several outlier species in northern regions. A revision of the genus in 1991 produced a classification within "Verticordia" of 3 subgenera, 24 sections, and 101 species. "Verticordia" are highly diverse in form, occupy a wide variety of habitat, and may be abundant or rare species. Their profuse and striking display of intricate flowers have been harvested forfloristry and admired as awildflower .Description
The genus is best known for its
flowers , often described in superlatives, which form massed displays in woodlands and heaths. These shrubs have appealed to amateur collectors and botanists, and were appreciated by the peoples of Australia before european settlement. The fringed or feathered appearance of the flowers is often enhanced by vivid and contrasting colours: this has given a common name for the genus, the Featherflowers. [George, E.A. (2002), Verticordia: the turner of hearts: 101] The variety displayed within the species, and between species in the genera is highly diverse.The genus is part of the Myrtaceae family which exist, predominantly, in the southern hemisphere. The family was highly successful in southern
Jurassic Gondwana , remaining as the highly diverse tree and woody shrub genera found in Australia."Verticordia" are native to Western Australia and the Northern Territory, and are closely related to "Chamelaucium ", "Rylstonea ", and "Darwinia ". The genus "Homoranthus ", found in other states of Australia, contains two species previously supposed to be "Verticordia".The single flowers are often presented erect, these may be supported individually or grouped into tight displays of various arrangements. They may appear in succession or at once. The colour often varies as the flower ages, further adding to a painterly effect. Thesepal s are divided into lobes, with the exception of "Verticordia verticordina ", in a variety of thread-like or feathery forms. The colour of the sepals andpetal s is highly diverse, it may be solid, or variable, or mutable.These may be of several colours, or solid, the striking combinations are of all colours except blue. There is no unisexual flowers in the species. Different species may be growing together, their massed displays creating painterly contrasts in flowering landscapes.
They are highly variable in appearance, often as a woody shrub, low or up to 2 metres, two tropical species are 7 metres. Branches may be upright or splayed out, sometimes pendulous, and are tightly or sparsely arranged. Leaves are very small or medium, scattered or opposite, and might be ciliated at the margin. The leaf shape is highly variable across, and these may differ at the base and floral leaves on individuals.
Cultivation
"Verticordia" are known for their feather-like or fringed flowers, the beauty of these is invariably included in any description. This has been accompanied by a high desirability as a garden plant, and as a cut flower. Restrictions exist on the collection of wildflowers in Western Australia, but previous collection of flowers for the floral industry is thought to have placed some species under duress.
accessdate=2008-09-26] Outside of their natural habitat "Verticordia" have shown consistently good results in the temperate regions of Australia. All species require excellent drainage and prefer Mediterranean-type climate of very dry summers and wet winters.
The cultivation of "Verticordia" in the Eastern states of Australia has proved difficult; many of the species are intolerant of the wet summers of those regions, especially with regard to root or collar rot and moulds and mildew. The successes achieved by some growers have been through the use of
bell jar s, attention to soil types and potting mixes, and, experimentally, the use of grafting onto other related genuses' species such as "Darwinia citriodora " and Geraldton Wax, "Chamelaucium uncinatum ".History
The name Verticordia is a term derived from Latin "verto cor", translated as 'the turner of hearts'. The botanist who named the genus,
A. P. de Candolle , did not record the inspiration for this description. The term has appeared as linked to the goddess Venus, a romantic allusion originating in the ancient roman festival "venus verticordia" (orveneralia ) on the first day of April. Themyrtle of the garlands, the roman woman's only attire in their parade, and this genus are both in theMyrtaceae family.The genus was made available to taxonomists by the collection of
Archibald Menzies , a naturalist attached to HMS "Discovery" during theVancouver Expedition , from his collections atKing George Sound , Oyster Bay, and the areas immediately inland. These specimens would remain undescribed for 35 years. In 1801-1802, the same region was visited byRobert Brown andFerdinand Bauer , the naturalists aboard HMS "Investigator".Menzies specimens includes "Verticordia plumosa", the second collection gave "V. brownii". The species now known as "Verticordia cunninghamii" was collected by Allan Cunningham in 1920. The species would remain unnamed until 1826, and with the current description the next year. The early collections preceded the establishment of the
Swan River Colony in 1829.The first description of these early collections was by
Rene Louiche Desfontaines , who placed the species into the genus "Chamelaucium ". Candolle identified specimens as a separate genus the next year, the reference appearing in "Dictionaire Classique D'histoire Naturelle", the first two species to be described were "Verticordia fontanesii" and "V. brownii" in his "Prodomus". The species are now known as "Verticordia plumosa " and "Verticordia brownii ".In 1833
Carl von Huegel visited the colony and collected type specimens, those named "Verticordia huegelii " and "Verticordia insignis " byStephan Endlicher . The collections of botanistLudwig Preiss , a resident of the state, produced the current varieties: "V. acerosa" var. "priessii", "V. plumosa" var. "ananeotes"; and the species: "V. endlicheriana", "V.habrantha", and "V. lehmannii". Preiss visited the Molloy plains while staying with the noted collector,Georgiana Molloy , and "V. lehmannii" and the variety "V. plumosa" var. "ananeotes" were probably obtained there.Classification
The genus Verticordia underwent an extensive revision by A. S. George (1991) [George, A.S. (1991) New taxa, combinations and typifications in Verticordia (Myrtaceae: Chamelaucieae). "Nuytsia" 7(3): 254 ] that described three subgenera and twenty four sections.
*"Verticordia" subgenus "Chrysoma" Schauer (1840):This subgenus is further divided into seven sections. These are sometimes described as the yellow or golden flowered "Verticordia".
*"Verticordia" subgenus "Verticordia" de Candolle:containing eleven sections.
*"Verticordia" subgenus "Eperephes" A.S George (1991):describes the remaining six sections.
The taxonomic arrangement of "Verticordia", as outlined by George, may be summarised as follows::Genus "
Verticordia "::Subgenus "Chrysoma":::Section "Chrysoma"::::"V. acerosa" - "V. citrella" - "V. subulata" - "V. endlicheriana":::Section "Jugata"::::"V. chrysanthella" - "V. chrysantha" - "V. galatea" - "V. brevifolia" - "V. coronata" - "V. amphigia" - "V. laciniata" :::Section "Unguiculata"::::"V. nobilis" - "V. grandiflora" - "V. rutilastra":::Section "Sigalantha"::::"V. serrata" - "V. integra:::Section "Chrysorhoe"::::"V. patens" - "V. nitens" - "V. aurea:::Section "Cooloomia"::::"V. cooloomia":::Section "Synandra"::::"V. staminosa"::Subgenus "Verticordia":::Section "Verticordia"::::"V. crebra" - "V. helichrysantha" - "V. plumosa" - "V. stenopetala" - "V. sieberi" - "V. harveyi" - "V. pityrhops" - "V. fimbrilepis":::Section "Corymbiformis"::::"V. polytricha" - "V. densiflora" - "V. brownii" - "V. eriocephala" - "V. capillaris:::Section "Micrantha"::::"V. minutiflora" - "V. fastigiata":::Section "Infuscata"::::"V. oxylepis" - "V. longistylis":::Section "Elachoschista"::::"V. verticordina":::Section "Pencillaris"::::"V. dasystylis" - "V. penicillaris":::Section "Pilocosta"::::"V. huegelii" - "V. brachypoda" - "V. multiflora":::Section "Catocalypta"::::"V. roei" - "V. inclusa" - "V. apecta" - "V. insignis" - "V. habrantha" - "V. lehmannii" - "V. pritzelii":::Section "Platandra"::::"V. gracilis":::Section "Recondita"::::"V. humilis":::Section "Intricata"::::"V. monadelpha" - "V. mitchelliana" - "V. pulchella"::Subgenus "Eperephes":::Section "Integripetala"::::"V. helmsii" - "V. rennieana" - "V. interioris" - "V. mirabilis" - "V. pictis":::Section "Tropica"::::"V. cunninghamii" - "V. verticillata" - "V. decussata":::Section "Jamiesoniana"::::"V. Jamiesoniana":::Section "Verticordella"::::"V. pennigera" - "V. halophila" - "V. blepharophylla" - "V. lindleyi" - "V. carinata" - "V. attenuata" - "V. drummondii" - "V. wonganensis" - "V. paludosa" - "V. luteola" - "V. bifimbriata" - "V. tumida" - "V. mitodes" - "V. centipeda" - "V. auriculata" - "V. pholidophylla" - "V. spicata" - "V. hughanii":::Section "Corynatoca"::::"V. ovalifolia":::Section "Pennuligera"::::"V. comosa" - "V. lepidophylla" - "V. chrysostachys" - "V. aereiflora" - "V. dichroma" - "V. x eurardyensis" - "V. muelleriana" - "V. argentea" - "V. albida" - "V. fragrans" - "V. venusta" - "V. forrestii" - "V. serotina" - "V. oculata" - "V. etheliana" - "V. grandis"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= |chapter= |chapterurl= |quote=
*cite web | url = http://asgap.org.au/APOL2006/dec06-2.html | title = Bringing Verticordia out of the Too Hard Basket | accessdate = 2007-10-30 | author = Elizabeth George | authorlink = | coauthors = | date = | year = 2004 | month = May | work = Australian Plants online - 2006 | publisher =ASGAP | quote =
*cite web | url = http://www.abc.net.au/cgi-bin/common/printfriendly.pl?/gardening/stories/s4202.htm | title = Feather Flowers Factsheet | accessdate = 2007-11-05 | author = Neville Passmore | authorlink = | coauthors = | date = 1999-02-05 | work = Gardening Australia | publisher = ABC | quote =
*cite web | url = http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s2093338.htm | title =Fact Sheet: Verticordias | accessdate = 2008-04-07 | author = Josh Byrne | authorlink = | coauthors = | date =2007-11-17 | work = Gardening Australia | publisher = ABC | quote =
*cite web | url = http://asgap.org.au/APOL30/jun03-2.html | title = Verticordia in the Garden | accessdate = 2008-01-06 | author = Max Hewett | authorlink = | coauthors = | date = | year = 1995 | month = December | work = Australian Plants online - June 2003 | publisher =Association of Societies for Growing Australian Plants | quote = From "Australian Plants", the societies journal. Max Hewett is leader of ASGAP's Verticordia Study Group.
*cite web | url = http://www.bgpa.wa.gov.au/o/content/view/313// | title = "Verticordias" | accessdate = 2008-04-07 | date = 2008 | work =Botanic garden | publisher = Botanic Gardens & Parks Authority (Kings Park) | quote =External links
*FloraBase|name=Verticordia|id=21850
*APNI|name="Verticordia"|id= 29067
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