''Richea scoparia'' is a species of plant

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 ...

Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...

. The genus ''

Richea ''Richea'' is a genus of 11 species of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae. Nine of the species are endemic to Tasmania and the other two are endemic to the south-east of the Australian mainland. Species include: *'' Richea acerosa'' (Lin ...

,'' forms part of the

Ericaceae The Ericaceae () are a Family (biology), family of flowering plants, commonly known as the heath or heather family, found most commonly in acidic and infertile growing conditions. The family is large, with about 4,250 known species spread acros ...

(formerly Epacridaceae) family, which are commonly heath-like shrubs. The name refers to the erect bushy growth habit, described as a broom-like shrub, most commonly referred to as the honey bush or simply scoparia to many bushwalkers.

Description

''Richea scoparia'' is 1–3 m high and commonly grows in wind-swept regions of mountains. The leaves persist for a number of years, even when dead. Leaves are crowded, sharp pointed, linear-

lanceolate The following terms are used to describe leaf plant morphology, morphology in the description and taxonomy (biology), taxonomy of plants. Leaves may be simple (that is, the leaf blade or 'lamina' is undivided) or compound (that is, the leaf blade ...

with a broad sheathing base, 3–6 cm long.

Inflorescence In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a mai ...

s are terminal spikes 4–12 cm in varying colours of orange, yellow, red, pink or white, flowering in January to March. Flowers with caps of joined petals, which are deciduous, exposing 5 mm long stamens and a short style.

Hybrid

''Richea scoparia'' forms a

hybrid Hybrid may refer to: Science * Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding ** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species ** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two diff ...

species with ''

Richea pandanifolia ''Richea pandanifolia'', the pandani or giant grass tree, is a distinctive endemic Tasmanian angiosperm. It is dicot of the family Ericaceae and is found in central, western and south west Tasmania. Description ''Richea pandanifolia'' can be ...

''. The hybrid species,
Richea curtisiae
' is relatively common where both ''R. scoparia'' and ''R. pandanifolia'' occur, especially after a disturbance as a result of fire or a clearing.

Distribution

''Richea scoparia'' is found in

montane Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The alpine climate in these regions strongly affects the ecosystem because temperatures lapse rate, fall as elevation increases, causing the ecosystem to stratify. This stratification is ...

vegetation and is subject to harsh conditions throughout several months of the year. It occurs in the west, south-west, north-east and Central Plateau of Tasmania in a variety of habitats above 700m. It is widespread in alpine regions and associated with a number of varying species. ''R. scoparia'' is a slow growing, scleromorphic,

perennial In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...

species with many morphological variabilities. The growth habits and morphology of ''R. scoparia'' populations are influenced by the level of difference weather conditions, to which each population is exposed. The exposure to wind speed and direction have a predominant effect on growth rate and success of the species, which grows as a dense rounded bush in highly exposed areas.

Reproduction

''Richea scoparia'' and '' Niveoscincus microlepidotus'' (snow skink) form a unique interaction, where ''N. microlepidotus'' aids in the pollination of ''R. scoparia'' by removing the calyptra (fused petal caps) of the inflorescence to feed on the nectar of the plant. This exposes the reproductive parts which increases the number of seeds dispersed and pollination success of the plant. This interaction has been thought to have been an adaptation to the harsh weather conditions by evolving with the lizards feeding habits to ensure the success of calyptra removal and dispersal of seeds.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q7330387 scoparia Ericales of Australia Endemic flora of Tasmania