Sprengelia sprengelioides is a species of flowering plant of the family Ericaceae, and is endemic to near-coastal areas of eastern Australia. It is an erect shrub with egg-shaped leaves, and white flowers arranged singly in leaf axils.
| Sprengelia sprengelioides | |
|---|---|
| |
| Near Cooloola, Queensland | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Ericaceae |
| Genus: | Sprengelia |
| Species: | S. sprengelioides
|
| Binomial name | |
| Sprengelia sprengelioides | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Description
editSprengelia sprengelioides is an erect, glabrous shrub that typically grows to a height of 0.3–1 m (1 ft 0 in – 3 ft 3 in) and has wiry stems. The leaves are egg-shaped, 4–12 mm (0.16–0.47 in) long and 1.5–3.2 mm (0.059–0.126 in) wide with a small point on the end and minute teeth on the edges. The flowers are arranged singly in leaf axils, with egg-shaped bracts 7–8 mm (0.28–0.31 in) long at the base. The sepals are broad, green, egg-shaped, and 6–10 mm (0.24–0.39 in) long. The petals white, joined at the base to form a tube 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) long with lobes 6 mm (0.24 in) long. Flowering occurs from June to September and the fruit is a capsule about 2.5 mm (0.098 in) in diameter.[2][3][4]
Taxonomy
editThis species was first formally described in 1810 by Robert Brown who gave it the name Ponceletia sprengelioides in his Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen.[5][6] In 1917, George Claridge Druce changed the name to Sprengelia sprengelioides in the supplement to The Botanical Exchange Club and Society of the British Isles Report for 1916.[7] The specific epithet (sprengelioides) means "Sprengelia-like". (This species was originally in the genus Ponceletia.)[3]
Habitat and distribution
editSprengelia sprengelioides grows swampy heath, sometimes with Banksia robur or species of Xyris. It occurs in near-coastal areas of south-eastern Queensland, and south to the Sydney region of New South Wales.[2][8]
References
edit- ^ a b "Sprengelia sprengelioides". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
- ^ a b Powell, Jocelyn M. "Sprengelia sprengelioides". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
- ^ a b Robinson, Les (1991). Field guide to the native plants of Sydney. Kenthurst, NSW: Kangaroo Press. p. 112. ISBN 0864171927.
- ^ Fairley, Alan; Moore, Philip (1989). Native plants of the Sydney district : an identification guide. Kenthurst: Kangaroo Press in association with the Society for Growing Australian Plants-NSW. p. 96. ISBN 0864172613.
- ^ "Ponceletia sprengelioides". APNI. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
- ^ Brown, Robert (1810). Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae. London. p. 554. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
- ^ "Sprengelia sprengelioides". APNI. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
- ^ Benson, Doug; MacDougall, Lyn (1995). "Ecology of Sydney plant species Part 3: Dicotyledon families Cabombaceae to Eupomataceae". Cunninghamia. 4 (2): 385. Retrieved 6 July 2022.