Verticordia roei, commonly known as Roe's featherflower[2] is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with narrow leaves and is often covered with masses of creamy-white coloured flowers in late spring.
| Roe's featherflower | |
|---|---|
| |
| Verticordia roei subsp. roei | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Verticordia |
| Subgenus: | Verticordia subg. Verticordia |
| Section: | Verticordia sect. Catocalypta |
| Species: | V. roei
|
| Binomial name | |
| Verticordia roei | |
Description
editVerticordia roei is a shrub which grows to a height of 1 m (3 ft) with a single main stem at its base. The leaves on the stems are linear to narrow elliptic in shape, triangular in cross-section, 1.5–4 mm (0.06–0.2 in) long and have a rounded end.[2]
The flowers are scented and arranged in corymb-like groups on erect stalks from 12–20 mm (0.5–0.8 in) long. The floral cup is broadly hemispherical, about 1.5 mm (0.06 in) long, ribbed and covered with short hairs. The sepals are creamy-white, sometimes pink, 6–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long, with 5 to 7 long-hairy or feathery lobes. The petals are a similar colour to the sepals, 4–5 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long, dished with small teeth around its edge. The style is 1–3 mm (0.04–0.1 in) long, with a few short hairs. Flowering time is from October to November.[2]
Taxonomy and naming
editVerticordia roei was first formally described by Stephan Endlicher in 1838 and the description was published in Stirpium Australasicarum Herbarii Hugeliani Decades Tres. The type specimen was collected by John Septimus Roe.[3][4] The specific epithet (roei) honours Roe, the first surveyor-general of Western Australia.[2]
In 1991, Alex George described two subspecies of V. roei in the journal Nuytsia,[5] and the names are accepted by the Australian Plant Census:
- Verticordia roei Endl. subsp. roei[6] has stamens 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) long and styles 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) long.[2]
- Verticordia roei subsp. meiogona A.S.George[7] has stamens 1.5–2.5 mm (0.059–0.098 in) long and styles 1.5–2.0 mm (0.059–0.079 in) long.[2]
George placed V. roei in subgenus Verticordia, section Catocalypta along with V. inclusa, V. apecta, V. insignis, V. habrantha, V. lehmannii and V. pritzelii.[5]
Distribution and habitat
editThis verticordia usually occurs in sandy soil, often with clay or loam over laterite. Subspecies roei is widespread and locally common in areas between Merredin, Boorabbin, Wickepin, Hyden and Lake Grace[2] in the Avon Wheatbelt, Coolgardie, Esperance Plains and Mallee biogeographic regions.[8] Subspecies meiogona has a smaller distribution near Dalwallinu and Mukinbudin in the Avon Wheatbelt and Coolgardie bioregions.[9]
Conservation
editSubspecies meiogona is classified as "Priority One"[9] meaning that it is known from only one or a few locations which are potentially at risk.[10] Subspecies roei is classified as "not threatened".[8]
Use in horticulture
editSubspecies roei has proven to be difficult to propagate and maintain in cultivation but more success has been achieved with subspecies meiogona. The latter subspecies has been grown from cuttings and by grafting onto Chamelaucium uncinatum rootstock.[2]
References
edit- ^ "Verticordia roei". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Elizabeth A. (Berndt) George; Margaret Pieroni (illustrator) (2002). Verticordia: the turner of hearts (1st ed.). Crawley, Western Australia: University of Western Australia Press. pp. 266–270. ISBN 1-876268-46-8.
- ^ "Verticordia roei". APNI. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
- ^ Endlicher, Stephan (1838). Stirpium Australasicarum Herbarii Hugeliani Decades Tres. Vienna: Rohrmann und Schweigerd. p. 194. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
- ^ a b George, Alex (1991). "New taxa, combinations and typifications in Verticordia (Myrtaceae : Chamelaucieae)". Nuytsia. 7 (3): 231–394.
- ^ "Verticordia roei subsp. roei". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
- ^ "Verticordia roei subsp. meiogona". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
- ^ a b "Verticordia roei roei". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
- ^ a b "Verticordia roei meiogona". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
- ^ "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. Retrieved 22 February 2025.