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.
| Calothamnus affinis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Calothamnus |
| Species: | C. affinis
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| Binomial name | |
| Calothamnus affinis | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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Description
editCalothamnus 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
editCalothamnus 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
editCalothamnus affinis was first formally described in 1852 by Nikolai Turczaninow.[4][5] The specific epithet (affinis) means "allied to" or "akin to", and refers to the similarity of this species to Calothamnus gracilis.[5][6]
In 2014 Craven, Edwards and Cowley proposed that the species be renamed Melaleuca relativa but the name is not accepted by the Australian Plant Census.[1][7]
Conservation
editThis species is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.[3]
References
edit- ^ a b c "Calothamnus affinis". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ Hawkeswood, Trevor J. (1984). "Nine new species of Calothamnus Labill. (Myrtaceae: Leptospermoideae) from Western Australia". Nuytsia. 5 (1): 125. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
- ^ a b "Calothamnus affinis". FloraBase. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
- ^ "Calothamnus affinis". APNI. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 129. ISBN 9780958034180.
- ^ 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.