''Aggreflorum anfractum'' is a species of spreading shrub that is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

to Queensland. It has a smooth, twisted trunk, linear leaves, white flowers borne in leaf

axil A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, fl ...

s and bell-shaped to hemispherical fruit. It grows on rocky ridges and cliff edges.

Description

''Aggreflorum anfractum'' is a spreading shrub that typically grows to a height of and has a trunk and branches that are smooth, twisted and contorted. The bark is white when new but ages to purplish. The leaves are arranged alternately, more or less sessile, linear in shape, paler on the lower surface, long and wide. The lower side of the leaves is hairy. The flowers are borne singly or in groups of up to six in leaf axils, each with

bracts In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves in size, color, shape or texture. They also loo ...

and bracteoles that fall off before the flower opens. The flowers are in diameter on a

pedicel Pedicle or pedicel may refer to: Human anatomy *Pedicle of vertebral arch, the segment between the transverse process and the vertebral body, and is often used as a radiographic marker and entry point in vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty procedures ...

long with

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 Etymology The term ''sepalum'' ...

s that have hairy edges. The

petal Petals are modified leaves that form an inner whorl surrounding the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often brightly coloured or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''corol ...

s are white. Flowering occurs from August to January and the fruit is a thin-walled, bell-shaped to hemispherical capsule about long and wide with the sepals attached.

Taxonomy and naming

This species was first described in 2004 by

Anthony Bean Anthony Russell Bean (born 1957) is an Australian botanist who works at the Queensland Herbarium and Brisbane Botanic Gardens, Mount Coot-tha. Since 1982, he has led the Eucalyptus Study Group of the Society for Growing Australian Plants. Caree ...

who gave it the name ''Leptospermum anfractum'' in the journal '' Telopea''. In 2023,

Peter Gordon Wilson Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a sur ...

transferred the species to the genus ''Aggreflorum'' as ''A. anfractum'' in the journal ''

Taxon In biology, a taxon (back-formation from ''taxonomy''; : taxa) is a group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit. Although neither is required, a taxon is usually known by a particular name and ...

''. The

specific epithet In Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin gramm ...

(''anfractum'') is from the Latin ''anfractus'' meaning "bending, winding or crooked" referring to the stems and branches.

Distribution and habitat

This species grows on rocky ridges and cliff lines between Cardwell and Proserpine with a disjunct population near Laura.

Conservation status

This species is classified as of "least concern" under the Queensland Government ''

Nature Conservation Act 1992 The ''Nature Conservation Act 1992'' is an act of the Parliament of Queensland, Australia, that, together with subordinate legislation, provides for the legislative protection of Queensland's threatened biota. As originally published, it prov ...

''.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15368719 Myrtales of Australia Flora of Queensland Plants described in 2004 Taxa named by Anthony Bean anfractum