Ricinocarpos undulatus, commonly known as wedding bush,[2] is a species of flowering plant in the family Euphorbiaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, monoecious or dioecious shrub with linear leaves, and white flowers in a umbel with either a single male or female flower, 2 to 5 male flowers, or a single female flower surrounded by up to 3 male flowers.
| Ricinocarpos undulatus | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Euphorbiaceae |
| Genus: | Ricinocarpos |
| Species: | R. undulatus
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| Binomial name | |
| Ricinocarpos undulatus | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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Description edit
Ricinocarpos undulatus is an erect, monoecious or dioecious spindly shrub that typically grows to a height of up to 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in), its young branchlets hairy. The leaves are linear, 13–35 mm (0.51–1.38 in) long and 1.3–3 mm (0.051–0.118 in) wide with the edges curved under, on a petiole 0.5–2 mm (0.020–0.079 in) long. The upper surface of the leaves is glabrous and the lower surface is silky-hairy. The flowers are usually arranged on the ends of branchlets with either a single male or female flower, 2 to 5 male flowers, or a single female flower surrounded by up to 3 male flowers. Each flower has 5 sepals joined at the base and usually 5 white petals about 5 times as long as the sepals. Male flowers are on a slender pedicel 10–25 mm (0.39–0.98 in) long, the sepal lobes 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) long and 1.3–1.6 mm (0.051–0.063 in) wide. The petals of male flowers are 7–15 mm (0.28–0.59 in) long and 2.2–4.5 mm (0.087–0.177 in) wide and there are 15 to 25 stamens in a central column. Female flowers are on a slender pedicel 15–25 mm (0.59–0.98 in) long, the sepal lobes 2.3–3.2 mm (0.091–0.126 in) long and 1.5–1.7 mm (0.059–0.067 in) wide, the petals 8–12 mm (0.31–0.47 in) long and 2.7–3.8 mm (0.11–0.15 in) wide. Flowering occurs in September and October and the fruit is an elliptic capsule, 8–10 mm (0.31–0.39 in) long and 6.0–7.5 mm (0.24–0.30 in) wide.[3]
Taxonomy and naming edit
Ricinocarpos undulatus was first formally described in 1848 by Johann Georg Christian Lehmann in his Plantae Preissianae.[4][5] The specific epithet (undulatus) means "wavy".[6]
Distribution and habitat edit
This species grows in heath, shrubland, mallee and open woodland between Green Head, Wubin, Freemantle and Merredin in the Avon Wheatbelt, Geraldton Sandplains, Jarrah Forest, Mallee and Swan Coastal Plain bioregions of south-western Western Australia.[3][2]
Conservation status edit
Ricinocarpos undulatus is listed as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.[2]
References edit
- ^ a b "Ricinocarpos undulatus". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
- ^ a b c "Ricinocarpos undulatus". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
- ^ a b Halford, David A.; Henderson, Rodney J.F. (2007). "A taxonomic revision of Ricinocarpos Desf. (Euphorbiaceae: Ricinocarpeae, Ricinocarpinae)". Austrobaileya. 7 (3): 435–437. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
- ^ "Ricinocarpos undulatus". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
- ^ Lehmann, Johann G.C. (1848). Plantae Preissianae. Vol. 2. Hamburg. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
- ^ Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 331. ISBN 9780958034180.