Teucrium albicaule, commonly known as scurfy germander,[2] is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, and is endemic to inland areas of Australia. It is a hoary, perennial herb that spreads by root suckers, forming dense stands. The leaves are trifoliate and the white flowers are arranged singly in leaf axils.
| Scurfy germander | |
|---|---|
| |
| Teucrium albicaule near Dimboola | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Lamiaceae |
| Genus: | Teucrium |
| Species: | T. albicaule
|
| Binomial name | |
| Teucrium albicaule | |
Description edit
Teucrium albicaule is a perennial herb that typically grows to a height of 5–20 cm (2.0–7.9 in) and spreads by root suckers forming dense stands up to several metres wide. Its branches are white or greyish, square in cross-section and densely hairy. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs, sessile and trifoliate, sometimes appearing to be arranged in whorls of six leaves. The leaflets are more or less linear, 2–10 mm (0.079–0.394 in) long and 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) wide with the edges curved downwards. The lowest leaves are sometimes narrow elliptic and up to 14 mm (0.55 in) long. The flowers are arranged singly in leaf axils on a pedicel 4–7 mm (0.16–0.28 in) long. The five sepals are 2–5 mm (0.079–0.197 in) long, joined at the base for about half their length, and densely covered with grey hairs. The petals are white with the lower middle lobe 5–8 mm (0.20–0.31 in) long and the four stamens are about 6–8 mm (0.24–0.31 in) long. Flowering occurs from September to June.[3][4][5][6]
Taxonomy edit
Teucrium albicaule was first formally described in 1985 by Hellmut R. Toelken in the Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens from specimens collected by William Robert Barker and Robert Chinnock on the Strzelecki Track, near the Queensland-New South Wales border.[6][7]
Distribution and habitat edit
Scurfy germander grows in depressions in woodland and shrubland and occurs in arid areas of north-eastern South Australia, south-eastern Northern Territory, north-western Victoria and New South Wales, south and west of Bancannia Lake.[3][4][5][6][8]
References edit
- ^ "Teucrium albicaule". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ "Teucrium albicaule". Lucid Keys. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ a b Conn, Barry J. "Teucrium albicaule". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ a b Conn, Barry J. "Teucrium albicaule". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ a b "Teucrium albicaule". State Herbarium of South Australia. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ a b c Toelken, Hellmut R. (1985). "Notes on Teucrium L. (Labiatae)" (PDF). Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens. 7 (3): 296–298. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ "Teucrium albicaule". APNI. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
- ^ "Teucrium albicaule". Northern Territory Government. Retrieved 5 March 2021.