Styphelia inopinata is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to the west of Western Australia. It is a robust, spreading shrub with hairy young branchlets and usually erect, narrowly elliptic, sharply-pointed leaves and reddish pink, very narrowly bell-shaped flowers, usually arranged singly in leaf axils.
| Styphelia inopinata | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Ericaceae |
| Genus: | Styphelia |
| Species: | S. inopinata
|
| Binomial name | |
| Styphelia inopinata | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
|
Astroloma inopinatum Hislop | |
Description edit
Styphelia inopinata is a robust, shrub up to 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) high and wide, and has hairy young branchlets. The leaves are erect, narrowly elliptic, 11–24 mm (0.43–0.94 in) long and 1.9–3.6 mm (0.075–0.142 in) wide on a creamy yellow petiole 0.6–1.1 mm (0.024–0.043 in) long and a sharp point 1.0–1.6 mm (0.039–0.063 in) long on the end. The flowers are usually borne singly (sometimes in pairs) in leaf axils with egg-shaped sepals 3.3–4.0 mm (0.13–0.16 in) long and bracts 1.2–1.4 mm (0.047–0.055 in) long and bracteoles 1.6–2.0 mm (0.063–0.079 in) long at the base. The petals are joined at the base to form a bell-shaped, red tube, 6.5–7.5 mm (0.26–0.30 in) long with lobes 4.0–4.5 mm (0.16–0.18 in) long. Flowering depends on rainfall and often occurs between March and July.[2][3][4]
Taxonomy edit
This species was first formally described in 2013 by Michael Hislop who gave it the name Astroloma inopinatum in the journal Nuytsia from specimens collected east of Kalbarri in 2008.[2][5] In 2020, Michael Hislop, Darren Crayn and Caroline Puente-Lelievre transferred it to the genus Styphelia as S. inopinata.[1]
Distribution edit
Styphelia inopinata is only known from a granite breakaway north of the Murchison River, east of Kalbarri National Park in the Geraldton Sandplains bioregion of western Western Australia.[2][6]
Conservation status edit
Styphelia inopinata is listed as "Priority One" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions,[6] meaning that it is known from only one or a few locations which are potentially at risk.[7]
References edit
- ^ a b c "Styphelia inopinata".
- ^ a b c Hislop, Michael (2013). "Four new species of Astroloma (Ericaceae: Styphelioideae: Styphelieae) from Western Australia". Nuytsia. 23: 35–38. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ Bentham, George (1868). Flora Australiensis. Vol. 4. London: Lovell Reeve & Co. p. 158. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
- ^ Lindley, John (1840). A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony. London: James Ridgway. p. xxv. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
- ^ "Astroloma inopinatum". APNI. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ a b "Styphelia inopinata". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
- ^ "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 12 January 2024.