''Conostephium marchantiorum'' is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae 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 elsew ...

to the

south-west 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—each se ...

of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with linear leaves clustered near the ends of branchlets, and pale green and pink, densely-bearded, tube-shaped flowers.

Description

''Conostephium marchantiorum'' is an erect shrub that typically grows to a height of about and has many branches, its leaves clustered near the ends of twigs. The leaves are linear, leathery, long and wide on a petiole long. The edges of the leaves are rolled under and the lower surface has several prominent longitudinal veins. The flowers are arranged singly in 2 to 4 leaf axils on each twig with small, egg-shaped

bract In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of ...

s and several broader, overlapping bracteoles closely surrounding the flowers. 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 The term ''sepalum'' was coined b ...

s are lance-shaped, long, the petals white and joined at the base to form a tube about long. The petal lobes are twice as long as the petal tube and densely bearded. Flowering has been observed in March, July and November.

Taxonomy and naming

''Conostephium marchantiorum'' was first formally described in 1986 by Arne Strid in the journal '' Willdenowia'' from specimens he collected near Scaddan in 1983. The

specific epithet In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

(''marchantiorum'') honours

Neville Graeme Marchant Neville Graeme Marchant (born 1939) is a retired Western Australian botanist. He was formerly the Director of the Western Australian Herbarium. Marchant began working for the Western Australian Herbarium at the age of 15, as a laboratory assista ...

and his wife Denise.

Distribution and habitat

This leucopogon grows on sand on plains, creeklines and the edges of salt lakes in the

Esperance Plains Esperance Plains, also known as Eyre Botanical District, is a biogeographic region in southern Western Australia on the south coast between the Avon Wheatbelt and Hampton bioregions, and bordered to the north by the Mallee region. It is a pl ...

and Mallee bioregions of south-western Western Australia.

Conservation status

''Leucopogon marchantiorum'' is listed as " Priority Three" by the Government of Western Australia

Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) is the Western Australian government The Government of Western Australia, formally referred to as His Majesty's Government of Western Australia, is the Australian state de ...

, meaning that it is poorly known and known from only a few locations but is not under imminent threat.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15374147 marchantiorum Ericales of Australia Flora of Western Australia Plants described in 1986 Taxa named by Arne Strid