Petrophile brevifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with cylindrical, sharply-pointed leaves, and spherical heads of hairy yellow, cream-coloured or white flowers.
| Petrophile brevifolia | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Proteales |
| Family: | Proteaceae |
| Genus: | Petrophile |
| Species: | P. brevifolia
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| Binomial name | |
| Petrophile brevifolia | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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Description
editPetrophile brevifolia is a low, multi-stemmed, erect, or spreading, non-lignotuberous shrub that typically grows to a height of 0.2–2 m (7.9 in – 6 ft 6.7 in) and has glabrous branchlets and leaves. The leaves are needle-shaped, 10–50 mm (0.39–1.97 in) long with a sharply-pointed tip about 2 mm (0.079 in) long. The flowers are arranged on the ends of branchlets in sessile, spherical heads 10–15 mm (0.39–0.59 in) in diameter, with many linear or tapering involucral bracts at the base. The flowers are 12–20 mm (0.47–0.79 in) long, yellow, creamy yellow or white and hairy. Flowering occurs from June to December and the fruit is a nut, fused with others in an oval to spherical head about 10–20 mm (0.39–0.79 in) long.[2][3]
Taxonomy
editPetrophile brevifolia was first formally described in 1840 by John Lindley in A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony.[4][5] The specific epithet (brevifolia) means "short-leaved".[6]
Distribution and habitat
editThis petrophile grows in shrubland, heath and woodland and is widespread and common from Kalbarri National Park to Ongerup in the southwest of Western Australia.[2][3]
Conservation status
editPetrophile brevifolia is classified as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife.[3]
References
edit- ^ a b "Petrophile brevifolia". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
- ^ a b Foreman, David B. "Petrophile brevifolia". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
- ^ a b c "Petrophile brevifolia". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
- ^ "Petrophile brevifolia". APNI. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
- ^ Lindley, John (1840). A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony. London: James Ridgway. p. xxxv. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
- ^ Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 150. ISBN 9780958034180.