Styphelia discolor is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub, usually with prostrate stems and spreading, tapering linear leaves and almost sessile red flowers.
| Styphelia discolor | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Ericaceae |
| Genus: | Styphelia |
| Species: | S. discolor
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| Binomial name | |
| Styphelia discolor | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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Description
editStyphelia discolor is a shrub usually with prostrate stems and short, ascending, softly-hairy branches. The leaves are spreading and linear, up to 6.5 mm (0.26 in) long with the edges turned down and fine points on the edges. The flowers are red, tube-shaped and almost sessile with very small bracts and bracteoles about 2 mm (0.079 in) long. The petal tube is about 19 mm (0.75 in) long and glabrous inside with lance-shaped lobes that are bearded only at the base.[2][3]
Taxonomy
editThis species was first formally described in 1845 by Otto Wilhelm Sonder who gave it the name Astroloma discolor in Lehmann's Plantae Preissianae from specimens collected near Perth.[4][5] In 2020, Michael Hislop, Darren Crayn and Caroline Puente-Lelievre transferred it to the genus Styphelia as S. discolor.[1]
Distribution
editStyphelia discolor is widespread in the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains, Geraldton Sandplains, Jarrah Forest, Mallee, Swan Coastal Plain and Warren bioregions of south-western Western Australia.[6]
References
edit- ^ a b c "Styphelia discolor".
- ^ 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 discolor". APNI. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
- ^ Sonder, Otto W. (1845). Lehmann, Johann G.C. (ed.). Plantae Preissianae. Vol. 1. Hamburg: Sumptibus Meissneri. p. 298. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
- ^ "Styphelia discolor". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.