''Seringia denticulata'' is a species of flowering plant in the family

Malvaceae Malvaceae (), or the mallows, is a family of flowering plants estimated to contain 244 genera with 4225 known species. Well-known members of economic importance include Theobroma cacao, cacao, Cola (plant), cola, cotton, okra, Hibiscus sabdariffa, ...

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 eastern Australia. It is a spindly shrub, densely covered with rust-coloured hairs, has egg-shaped to elliptic leaves and usually white flowers in groups of 6 to 10.

Description

''Seringia denticulata'' is a single-stemmed, spindly shrub densely covered with rust-coloured hairs. It typically grows up to high and wide. Its leaves are egg-shaped to elliptic, long and wide 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, with broad

stipule In botany, a stipule is an outgrowth typically borne on both sides (sometimes on just one side) of the base of a leafstalk (the petiole (botany), petiole). They are primarily found among dicots and rare among monocots. Stipules are considered part ...

s long at the base. The edges of the leaves are toothed, the upper surface wrinkled and dark green, and the lower surface is densely covered with pale hairs. The flowers are white, up to wide, borne in groups of 6 to 10 on a peduncle long, 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

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 long, joined at the base for less than half their length, and there are usually no petals. The

staminode In botany, a staminode is an often rudimentary, sterile or abortive stamen, which means that it does not produce pollen.Jackson, Benjamin, Daydon; ''A Glossary of Botanic Terms with their Derivation and Accent''; Published by Gerald Duckworth & Co ...

s are tiny, and the filaments are yellow and about the same length as the

anthers 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 filamen ...

. Flowering occurs from August to February and the fruit is a hairy capsule wide and wide.

Taxonomy

This species was first formally described in 1942 by

Cyril Tenison White Cyril Tenison White (17 August 1890 – 15 August 1950) was an Australian botanist. Early life White was born in Brisbane, Queensland, to Henry White, a trade broker, and Louisa (''nee'' Bailey). He attended school at South Brisbane State Sch ...

who gave it the name ''Keraudrenia corollata'' var. ''denticulata'' in the '' Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland'' from specimens collected near Aspley in 1928. In 2016, C.F.Wilkins raised the variety to species status as ''S. denticulata'' in ''

Australian Systematic Botany ''Australian Systematic Botany'' is an international peer-reviewed scientific journal published by CSIRO Publishing. It is devoted to publishing original research, and sometimes review articles, on topics related to systematic botany, such as b ...

''. The

specific epithet In Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin gramm ...

(''denticulata'') means "toothed", referring to the edges of the leaves.

Distribution and habitat

''Seringia denticulata'' grows in sandstone country in forest from Tully Falls in far north Queensland to near

Brisbane Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...

in Queensland, but has also been recorded as far south as Grafton in New South Wales, and near the Colo River.

Conservation

The species has been listed as "least concern" under the Queensland Government ''

Nature Conservation Act 1992 The ''Nature Conservation Act 1992'' is an act of the Parliament of Queensland, Australia, that, together with subordinate legislation, provides for the legislative protection of Queensland's threatened biota. As originally published, it prov ...

''.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q57321181 denticulata Flora of Queensland Flora of New South Wales Malvales of Australia Taxa named by Cyril Tenison White Plants described in 1928