Grevillea sarissa, commonly known as wheel grevillea,[2] is a species of flowering plant in the family
Proteaceae and is native to
South Australia and
Western Australia. It is a spreading shrub, usually with linear leaves, and more or less erect, wheel-like to more or less spherical clusters of red or yellow flowers.
Description
Grevillea sarissa is a shrub that typically grows to a height of 0.6–3.5 m (2 ft 0 in – 11 ft 6 in). Its leaves are usually linear, 15–150 mm (0.59–5.91 in) long and 0.9–2 mm (0.035–0.079 in) wide, or rarely, divided with 2 or 3 linear lobes 10–50 mm (0.39–1.97 in) long. The edges of the leaves are rolled under, obscuring the lower surface, apart from the midvein. The flowers are arranged on the ends of branches, in leaf axils, or often on the stems, in more or less erect, wheel-like to more or less spherical clusters on a
rachis 2.5–8 mm (0.098–0.315 in) long with
bracts 0.3–1.2 mm (0.012–0.047 in) long at the base. Flower colour varies with subspecies, the
pistil 20–30 mm (0.79–1.18 in) long. Flowering time varies with subspecies and the fruit is an elliptic
follicle 12–20 mm (0.47–0.79 in) long.[2][3][4]
In 1986,
Donald McGillivray describe 6 subspecies of G. sarissa in his book New Names in Grevillea (Proteaceae) and the names are accepted by the
Australian Plant Census:
Grevillea sarissa subsp. anfractifolia McGill.[7] has dull red and cream-coloured flowers with a dark red, green-tipped
style, from September to November.[4][8][9]
Grevillea sarissa subsp. bicolor McGill.[10] has dull pinkish red and pale yellowish cream flowers with a red or yellowish cream, green- to yellow-tipped
style, in March and October.[4][11][12]
Grevillea sarissa subsp. rectitepala McGill.[13] has red and cream-coloured flowers with a red, pale green-tipped
style, from September to December.[4][14][15]
Grevillea sarissa S.Moore subsp. sarissa[16] has red and cream-coloured flowers with a red, pale green-tipped
style, from September to December.[4][17][18]
Grevillea sarissa subsp. succincta McGill.[19] has red to deep pink and white, sometimes pale cream-coloured flowers with a similarly coloured
style, from August to November.[4][20][21]
Grevillea sarissa subsp. umbellifera McGill.[22] has dull, pinkish red and white or pale cream-coloured flowers with a red, green-tipped
style, from September to January.[4][23]
Subspecies bicolor grows in shrubland on sand dunes between
Cue,
Lake Austin and
Wiluna in the Coolgardie, Great Victoria Desert and Murchison bioregions.[4][11][12]
Subspecies rectitepala grows in open mallee or shrubland, and is only known from a few collections between
Comet Vale and
Cundeelee in the Coolgardie, Great Victoria Desert and Murchison bioregions.[4][14][15]
Subspecies succincta mainly grows in
chenopod shrubland, often near clay pans or salt lakes, and is restricted to the area around Wiluna in the
Gascoyne and Murchison bioregions.[4][20][21]
Subspecies umbellifera grows in shrubland, often near salt lakes, and is found between
Koonibba and
Karcultaby on the
Eyre Peninsula of South Australia.[4][23]
^"Grevillea sarissa". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
^
abcdefghijklmWrigley, John W.; Fagg, Murray A. (1991). Banksias, waratahs & grevilleas : and all other plants in the Australian Proteaceae family. North Ryde, NSW, Australia: Angus & Robertson. pp. 325–326.
ISBN0207172773.
^
ab"Grevillea sarissa subsp. anfractifolia". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
^
ab"Grevillea sarissa subsp. bicolor". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
^
ab"Grevillea sarissa subsp. rectitepala". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
^
ab"Grevillea sarissa subsp. sarissa". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
^
ab"Grevillea sarissa subsp. succincta". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
^
ab"Grevillea sarissa subsp. umbellifera". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra. Retrieved 12 January 2023.