Pimelea pelinos is a species of flowering plant in the family Thymelaeaceae and is endemic to a small area in the southwest of Western Australia. It is an erect, straggling shrub with narrowly egg-shaped leaves, the narrower end towards the base, and erect clusters of cream-coloured, unisexual flowers surrounded by 2 or 4 egg-shaped, leaf-like involucral bracts.

Pimelea pelinos

Priority One — Poorly Known Taxa (DEC)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malvales
Family: Thymelaeaceae
Genus: Pimelea
Species:
P. pelinos
Binomial name
Pimelea pelinos

Description

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Pimelea pelinos is an erect, straggling shrub that typically grows to a height of 30–60 cm (12–24 in), and has a single glabrous stem at the base. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs, narrowly egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, 2.5–11.5 mm (0.098–0.453 in) long and 0.8–2.5 mm (0.031–0.098 in) wide on a petiole 0.2–0.5 mm (0.0079–0.0197 in) long. The flowers are arranged on short side branches on a peduncle 0.5–3.5 mm (0.020–0.138 in) long surrounded by 2 or 4 egg-shaped, sessile, leaf-like involucral bracts 3.3–6 mm (0.13–0.24 in) long. The flowers are cream-coloured and densely hairy on the outside. Male flowers have a floral tube 2–3.2 mm (0.079–0.126 in) long, the sepals 1.0–1.5 mm (0.039–0.059 in) long, female flowers a floral tube about 1.5 mm (0.059 in) long, the sepals about 0.8 mm (0.031 in) long. Flowering occurs in June and July.[2][3][4]

Taxonomy

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Pimelea pelinos was first formally described in 1989 by Barbara Lynette Rye and the description was published in the journal Nuytsia from specimens collected east of Scaddan in 1988.[3][5] The specific epithet (pelinos) means "of clay or mud", referring to the habitat of this species.[3]

Distribution and habitat

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This pimelea grows around salt lakes in sandy clay, and is only known from near the type location in the Mallee bioregion of south-western Western Australia.[2][3][4]

Conservation status

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Pimelea pelinos is listed as "Priority One" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions,[2] meaning that it is known from only one or a few locations which are potentially at risk.[6]

References

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  1. ^ "Pimelea pelinos". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Pimelea pelinos". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  3. ^ a b c d Rye, Barbara L. (1989). "A new species of Pimelea (Thymelaeaceae) from south-western Australia". Nuytsia. 7 (1): 59–62. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  4. ^ a b Rye, Barbara L. Busby, John R. (ed.). "Pimelea pelinos". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  5. ^ "Pimelea pelinos". APNI. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  6. ^ "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 5 March 2023.