''Calothamnus quadrifidus'' subsp. ''teretifolius'' is a plant in the myrtle

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

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 spe ...

and is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found 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 found els ...

to the south-west of

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to ...

. It is similar to other subspecies of ''

Calothamnus quadrifidus ''Calothamnus quadrifidus'', commonly known as one-sided bottlebrush, is a plant in the myrtle Family (biology), family, Myrtaceae and is Endemism, endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. The common name alludes to the arrangement of th ...

'' except that its leaves are

glabrous Glabrousness (from the Latin '' glaber'' meaning "bald", "hairless", "shaved", "smooth") is the technical term for a lack of hair, down, setae, trichomes or other such covering. A glabrous surface may be a natural characteristic of all or part o ...

and cylindrical. (Subspecies ''quadrifidus'' also has cylindrical leaves but they often have a covering of long, silky hairs.)

Description

''Calothamnus quadrifidus'' subsp. ''teretifolius'' is an erect shrub which sometimes grows to a height of . Its leaves are linear, circular in cross section, lack hairs, are long and wide. The flowers are red and are arranged in clusters, usually on one side of the stem amongst the older leaves. The

stamen The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filam ...

s are arranged in 4 claw-like bundles, each about long. Flowering occurs from September to December and is followed by fruits which are woody capsules, long.

Taxonomy and naming

''Calothamnus quadrifidus'' subsp. ''teretifolius'' was first formally described in 2010 by

Alex George Alexander or Alex George may refer to: * Alex George (botanist) (born 1939), Australian botanist *Alexander L. George (1920–2006), American political scientist *Alexander George (philosopher), American philosopher * Alex George (motorcyclist), Sc ...

in ''

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 a specimen collected west of the

Whicher Scarp Whicher Range, also known as Whicher Scarp, is a range in the South West region of Western Australia. The range has an average elevation of above sea level. Bounded by the Swan Coastal Plain to the west and the south, the Darling Scarp to ...

. The epithet ''teretifolius'' is "from the Latin ''teres'' (terete) and ''folium'' (a leaf).

Distribution and habitat

''Calothamnus quadrifidus'' subsp. ''teretifolius'' is found inland from

Busselton Busselton is a city in the South West region of the state of Western Australia approximately south-west of Perth. Busselton has a long history as a popular holiday destination for Western Australians; however, the closure of the Busselton ...

in the

Jarrah Forest Jarrah forest is tall open forest in which the dominant overstory tree is '' Eucalyptus marginata'' (jarrah). The ecosystem occurs only in the Southwest Botanical Province of Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is ...

and

Swan Coastal Plain The Swan Coastal Plain in Western Australia is the geographic feature which contains the Swan River as it travels west to the Indian Ocean. The coastal plain continues well beyond the boundaries of the Swan River and its tributaries, as a geo ...

biogeographic regions. It grows in clay in winter-west areas in shrubland.

Conservation

''Calothamnus quadrifidus'' subsp. ''teretifolius'' is classified as "Priority Four" by the Western Australian Government

Department of Parks and Wildlife The Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPaW) was the department of the Government of Western Australia responsible for managing lands described in the ''Conservation and Land Management Act 1984'' and implementing the state's conservation and en ...

meaning that it is rare or near threatened.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q20817726 quadrifidus subsp. teretifolius Myrtales of Australia Plants described in 2010 Plant subspecies