''Babingtonia camphorosmae'', commonly known as camphor myrtle, is a species of flowering plant in the family

Myrtaceae Myrtaceae (), the myrtle family, is a family of dicotyledonous plants placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, pōhutukawa, bay rum tree, clove, guava, acca (feijoa), allspice, and eucalyptus are some notable members of this group. All ...

and 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 the

southwest The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A '' compass rose'' is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west— ...

of Western Australia. It is a prostrate to low-growing shrub with linear to thread-like leaves and white or pink flowers in groups of up to five, each flower with ten to thirteen

stamen The stamen (: stamina or stamens) is a part consisting of the male reproductive organs of a flower. Collectively, the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filament ...

Description

''Babingtonia camphorosmae'' is a prostrate or low-growing shrub that typically grows to high and wide with prominent Gland (botany), glands on its young stems. The leaves are crowded, linear to thread-like, long and wide on a Petiole (botany), petiole up to long. The flowers are arranged singly or in groups of up to five on a Peduncle (botany), peduncle long, each flower on a Pedicel (botany), pedicel long. The sepals are long and wide and the petals are white to pink, long. There are ten to thirteen stamens arranged opposite the sepals. The Ovary (botany), ovary has two or three locules and the Style (botany), style is long. Flowering mainly occurs from November to February and the fruit is a Capsule (botany), capsule long and wide.

Taxonomy

This species was first formally described in 1837 by Stephan Endlicher, who gave it the name ''Baeckea camphorosmae'' in ''Enumeratio plantarum quas in Novae Hollandiae ora austro-occidentali ad fluvium Cygnorum et in sinu Regis Georgii collegit Carolus Liber Baro de Hügel'' from specimens collected near King George Sound (Western Australia), King George Sound. In 1842, John Lindley transferred the species to the genus ''Babingtonia'' as ''B. camphorosmae''. The Binomial nomenclature, specific epithet (''camphorosmae'') means "camphor smell".

Distribution and habitat

''Babingtonia camphorosmae'' mostly grows in woodland and forest in a range of soils, and is found between Dandaragan, Dunsborough, the Whicher Range and Mount Barker, Western Australia, Mount Barker in the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains, Geraldton Sandplains, Jarrah Forest and Swan Coastal Plain biogeographic regions of south-western Western Australia.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Babingtonia camphorosmae Eudicots of Western Australia Babingtonia, camphorosmae Endemic flora of Western Australia Plants described in 1837 Taxa named by Stephan Endlicher