Calytrix exstipulata, commonly known as turkey bush, Kimberley heather, heather bush or pink fringe-myrtle,[2] is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to northern Australia. It is an erect shrub with narrowly egg-shaped to elliptic leaves and clusters of dark red, pink and white flowers with mainly pink stamens.
| Calytrix exstipulata | |
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| In the Australian National Botanic Gardens | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Calytrix |
| Species: | C. exstipulata
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| Binomial name | |
| Calytrix exstipulata | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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List
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Description
editCalytrix exstipulata is an erect shrub that typically grows to a height of up to 2 m (6 ft 7 in), rarely a tree to 4.5 m (15 ft), and has sessile narrowly egg-shaped to linear leaves 1–3.5 mm (0.039–0.138 in) long and 0.25–1 mm (0.0098–0.0394 in) wide. The flowers are arranged singly in leaf axils with bracteoles about 7 mm (0.28 in) long and joined for about 2/3 of their length. The floral tube is cylindrical, dark red and glabrous, usually with 10 ribs and 8–13 mm (0.31–0.51 in) long. The sepals are more or less round, dark red and 10–12 mm (0.39–0.47 in) with a fine awn about 8 mm (0.31 in) long. The petals are pink with a white base, about 10 mm (0.39 in) long and narrowly elliptic with about 30 pink stamens, white at the base.[2][3]
Taxonomy
editCalytrix exstipulata was first formally described in 1828 by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle in his Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis from specimens collected near the Gulf of Carpentaria.[4][5] The specific epithet (exstipulata) means "completely without stipules".[6]
Distribution and habitat
editTurkey bush is very common in the monsoon region of northern Australia and occurs from the Kimberley Region of Western Australia, through the northern half of the Northern Territory, and as far as Gregory Range in Queensland. It grows in a wide range of habitats including eucalyptus and cypress pine woodland and forest.[2][3][7]
References
edit- ^ a b "Calytrix exstipulata". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
- ^ a b c "Calytrix exstipulata". Northern Territory. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
- ^ a b Craven, Lyndley (1987). "A taxonomic revision of Calytrix Labill. (Myrtaceae)". Brunonia: 77–79.
- ^ "Calytrix exstipulata". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
- ^ de Candolle, Augustin P. (1828). de Candolle, Augustin P. (ed.). Prodromus systematis naturalis regni vegetabilis. Paris: Sumptibus Sociorum Treuttel et Würtz. p. 208.
- ^ George, Alex; Sharr, Francis (2021). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (4th ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 195. ISBN 9780958034180.
- ^ "Calytrix exstipulata". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.