Teucrium betchei is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a perennial herb or undershrub with rod-like stems, linear to very narrow lance-shaped leaves and white flowers.
| Teucrium betchei | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Lamiaceae |
| Genus: | Teucrium |
| Species: | T. betchei
|
| Binomial name | |
| Teucrium betchei | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
|
Oncinocalyx betchei F.Muell. | |
Description edit
Teucrium betchei is a perennial herb that typically grows to a height of 0.4–1 m (1 ft 4 in – 3 ft 3 in) and has rod-like stems that are square in cross-section. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs, linear to very narrow lance-shaped, 10–40 mm (0.39–1.57 in) long, 1–4 mm (0.039–0.157 in) wide and more or less sessile. The flowers are mostly arranged in groups of three to five in upper leaf axils, each flower on a pedicel 1–3 mm (0.039–0.118 in) long. The five sepals are 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) long, joined at the base for about half their length. The petals are white, the lower middle lobe 1–1.5 mm (0.039–0.059 in) long. Flowering mainly occurs in summer.[2][3]
Taxonomy edit
This germander was first formally described in 1883 by Ferdinand von Mueller who gave it the name Oncinocalyx betchei in the Southern Science Record, from specimens collected in 1883 near the Namoi River at Gunnedah by Ernst Betche.[4][5][6] In 2016, Stefan Kattari and Yasaman Salmaki changed the name to Teucrium betchei in the journal Taxon.[7]
Distribution and habitat edit
Teucrium betchei grows in grassy woodland and on disturbed sites, mainly on the North West Slopes of New South Wales and the Darling Downs of south-eastern Queensland.[2][6]
References edit
- ^ a b "Teucrium betchei". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- ^ a b Conn, Barry J. "Teucrium betchei". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- ^ Munir, Ahmad A. (1991). "A taxonomic revision of the genus Oncinocalyx F.Muell. (Verbenaceae)". Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens. 14 (1): 79–83. JSTOR 23874431. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- ^ "Oncinocalyx betchei". APNI. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- ^ von Mueller, Ferdinand (1883). "Definitions of some new Australian plants". Southern Science Record. 3: 69–70. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- ^ a b Bean, Anthony R. (2018). "A conspectus of Teucrium (Lamiaceae) in Queensland". Muelleria. 37: 5. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- ^ "Teucrium betchei". APNI. Retrieved 6 March 2021.