''Regelia'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s 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

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 ...

Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...

. The genus is composed of five

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

of small leaved,

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has Leaf, foliage that remains green and functional throughout the year. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which lose their foliage completely during the winter or dry season. Consisting of many diffe ...

shrubs which have heads of flowers on the ends of branches which continue to grow after flowering. Another species, previously known as ''Regelia punicea'' and which is endemic to

Kakadu National Park Kakadu National Park is a protected area in the Northern Territory of Australia, southeast of Darwin. It is a World Heritage Site. Kakadu is also gazetted as a locality, covering the same area as the national park, with 313 people recorded l ...

in the

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (abbreviated as NT; known formally as the Northern Territory of Australia and informally as the Territory) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian internal territory in the central and central-northern regi ...

, has been transferred to '' Melaleuca punicea''.

Description

Plants in the genus ''Regelia'' are woody, evergreen shrubs ranging in height from . Their leaves are small, arranged in opposite pairs or spirally and are noted for bearing essential oils. Their flowers are pinkish purple, rarely red, and are arranged in heads on the ends of branches which continue to grow after flowering. The flowers have 5

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, 5

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 and numerous

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 ...

s arranged in 5 bundles around the edge of the flower. In many respects, they are similar to plants in the

genera Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...

Melaleuca ''Melaleuca'' () is a genus of nearly 300 species of plants in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, commonly known as paperbarks, honey-myrtles, bottlebrushes or tea-trees (although the last name is also applied to species of '' Leptospermum''). They ...

'', ''

Calothamnus ''Calothamnus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. The common names one-sided bottlebrush or claw flower are given to some species due to their having the flowers clus ...

'', ''

Conothamnus ''Conothamnus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. They are woody shrubs similar to melaleucas but differ in that their leaves are usually arranged in opposite pairs and ...

'' and '' Phymatocarpus'' but differ from them either in the attachment of the

anther 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 ...

s to their stalks, the way they open to release

pollen Pollen is a powdery substance produced by most types of flowers of seed plants for the purpose of sexual reproduction. It consists of pollen grains (highly reduced Gametophyte#Heterospory, microgametophytes), which produce male gametes (sperm ...

, or the number of seeds in the fruits. Plants in the genus ''Regelia'' have their anthers attached at the base (rather than the side) and open at terminal pores (rather than slits). The fruits are woody capsules with three

valves A valve is a device or natural object that regulates, directs or controls the flow of a fluid (gases, liquids, fluidized solids, or slurries) by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are technically fittings, ...

and have a maximum of two fertile seeds in each valve.

Taxonomy and naming

The genus ''Regelia'' was first formally described in 1843 by J.C.Schauer in the journal ''Linnaea; Ein Journal für die Botanik in ihrem ganzen Umfange'' and the first species he named was ''

Regelia ciliata ''Regelia ciliata'' is a plant in the myrtle Family (biology), family, Myrtaceae and is Endemism, endemic to the South West (Western Australia), south-west of Western Australia. It is a rigid, spreading shrub with paper-like bark on the stems, ti ...

''. The name ''Regelia'' honours

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

gardener and

botanist Botany, also called plant science, is the branch of natural science and biology studying plants, especially Plant anatomy, their anatomy, Plant taxonomy, taxonomy, and Plant ecology, ecology. A botanist or plant scientist is a scientist who s ...

Eduard August von Regel Eduard Model Accessories is a Czech manufacturer of plastic models and finescale model accessories. History Formed in 1989 in the city of Most, Eduard began in a rented cellar as a manufacturer of photoetched brass model components. Fol ...

Distribution and habitat

All five ''Regelia'' species are found in the

South West Botanical Province Southwest Australia is a biogeographic region in Western Australia. It includes the Mediterranean-climate area of southwestern Australia, which is home to a diverse and distinctive flora and fauna. The region is also known as the Southwest Au ...

. They grow in sand or sandy soil, often on the margins of winter-wet depressions.

Conservation

Two species, '' Regelia cymbifolia'' and '' Regelia megacephala'', are classified as "Priority Four" by the Western Australian government Department of Parks and Wildlife meaning that they are rare or near threatened.

Species

There are currently five recognized species of ''Regelia''. A sixth species, ''Regelia punicea'' was originally formally described in 1984 by N.B.Byrnes as ''Melaleuca punicea'', renamed ''Regelia punicea'' by B.A.Barlow in 1987, then ''Petraeomyrtus punicea'' by L.A.Craven in 2010 and finally in 2013, returned to '' Melaleuca punicea'' by Craven on the basis of molecular data. * ''

Schauer Schauer is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Amy Schauer (1871–1956), Australian cookery instructor and author * Anton G. Schauer (1860–1932), American politician * Austen Schauer, member of North Dakota House of ...

; * '' Regelia cymbifolia'' (

Diels Diels is the last name of several people: * Rudolf Diels (1900–1957), German politician * Otto Diels (1876–1954), German scientist noted for his work on the Diels–Alder reaction * Ludwig Diels (1874–1945), German botanist whose standard aut ...

) C.A.Gardner ; * '' Regelia inops'' (Schauer) Schauer; * '' Regelia megacephala'' C.A.Gardner ; * '' Regelia velutina'' ( Turcz.) C.A.Gardner – Barrens regelia.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2712906 Myrtaceae genera Myrtales of Australia Endemic flora of Southwest Australia