Lysiosepalum aromaticum | |
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Scientific classification
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Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Malvales |
Family: | Malvaceae |
Genus: | Lysiosepalum |
Species: | L. aromaticum
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Binomial name | |
Lysiosepalum aromaticum |
Lysiosepalum aromaticum is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae and is endemic to a small area in the south-west of Western Australia. It is thick, bushy shrub with a strong, aromatic scent, most parks covered with white, star-shaped hairs and red-tipped, club-shaped hairs, and has egg-shaped to broadly egg-shaped leaves and pinkish-purple flowers usually in groups of two to four.
Lysiosepalum aromaticum is a thick, bushy shrub that typically grows to a height of up to 75 cm (30 in) and has a strong aromatic or peppery scent. Most part of the plant are covered with white, star-shaped hairs and red-tipped, club-shaped glandular hairs. The leaves are egg-shaped to broadly egg-shaped, 15–40 mm (0.59–1.57 in) long and 3–6 mm (0.12–0.24 in) wide on a petiole 4–7 mm (0.16–0.28 in) long, usually with stipules 2–6 mm (0.079–0.236 in) long at the base. The flowers are pinkish-purple, borne in groups of two to four on a peduncle 9–20 mm (0.35–0.79 in) long with spoon-shaped bracts 3–7.5 mm (0.12–0.30 in) long at the base, each flower on a pedicel 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long. The five sepal lobes are elliptic, about 6 mm (0.24 in) long and 2–4 mm (0.079–0.157 in) wide, the petals tiny and bright red. Flowering occurs in October and November. [2] [3] [4]
Lysiosepalum aromaticum was first formally described in 2001 by Carolyn F. Wilkins in the journal Nuytsia from specimens collected in 1998. [2] [5] The specific epithet (aromaticum) means "aromatic", referring to the spicy odour of this species. [2]
This species of lysiosepalum is found on slopes and in moist areas near granite outcrops in a single population near Highbury in the Avon Wheatbelt IBRA bioregion in the south-west of Western Australia. [2] [3] [4]
Lysiosepalum aromaticum is listed as " Priority Two" by the Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, [4] meaning that it is poorly known and from only one or a few locations. [6]