''Balaustion filifolium'' 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 inland Western Australia. It is a prostrate or low-growing shrub with narrowly egg-shaped to linear leaves with a small point on the end, and pale pink flowers with 16 to 24

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

''Balaustion filifolium'' is a prostrate or low-growing shrub that typically grows to high and wide. Its leaves are arranged in dense clusters, sometimes pressed against the stems, mostly narrowly triangular to linear, long wide and thick on a

petiole Petiole may refer to: *Petiole (botany), the stalk of a leaf, attaching the blade to the stem *Petiole (insect anatomy) In entomology, petiole is the technical term for the narrow waist of some hymenopteran insects, especially ants, bees, and ...

long. The leaves have a small, hard tip on the end and one or two rows of oil

glands A gland is a Cell (biology), cell or an Organ (biology), organ in an animal's body that produces and secretes different substances that the organism needs, either into the bloodstream or into a body cavity or outer surface. A gland may also funct ...

either side of the midvein. The flowers are in diameter, each flower 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. The

floral tube In angiosperms, a hypanthium or floral cup is a structure where basal portions of the calyx, the corolla, and the stamens form a cup-shaped tube. It is sometimes called a floral tube, a term that is also used for corolla tube and calyx tube."Lec ...

is more or less hemispherical, long and wide and the

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 are egg-shaped, long and wide with a red tinge. The petals are pale pink, long with 16 to 24 stamens. Flowering has been recorded from August to October, and the fruit is a capsule long and in diameter.

Taxonomy

''Balaustion filifolium'' was first formally described in 2022 by

Barbara Lynette Rye Barbara Lynette Rye is an Australian botanist born in 1952. Barbara Rye has been associated with the Western Australian Herbarium, where her work as a taxonomist has been the source of many new descriptions of plants. The number of taxa recorded ...

in the journal ''

Nuytsia ''Nuytsia floribunda'' is a hemiparasitic tree found in Western Australia. The species is known locally as moodjar and, more recently, the Christmas tree or Western Australian Christmas tree. The display of intensely bright flowers during the ...

'' from specimens collected near Beringbooding in 1957. The specific epithet (''filifolium'') means 'thread-leaved'.

Distribution and habitat

This species of ''Balaustion'' has been recorded on sand plains and near granite outcrops from Beringbooding Rock to west of Mukinbudin in the

Avon Wheatbelt The Avon Wheatbelt is a bioregion in Western Australia. It has an area of . It is considered part of the larger Southwest Australia savanna ecoregion. Geography The Avon Wheatbelt bioregion is mostly a gently undulating landscape with low rel ...

and Coolgardie bioregions, and is usually recorded growing with ''Acacia'' species.

Conservation status

''Balaustion filifolium'' is listed as " Priority Two" by the Western Australian Government

Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) is the Government of Western Australia, Western Australian government department responsible for managing lands and waters described in the ''Conservation and Land Management A ...

, meaning that it is poorly known and from only one or a few locations.

References

{{Taxonbar, from1=Q131465073 Flora of Western Australia Plants described in 2022 Taxa named by Barbara Lynette Rye

filifolium ''Filifolium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family. There is only one known species, ''Filifolium sibiricum'', native to Japan, Korea, Mongolia, China (Manchuria, Inner Mongolia, Hebei, Shanxi) and parts of Asiatic Russia (Primor ...