''Thryptomene calycina'', commonly known as Grampians thryptomene, is a species of flowering plant 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 Victoria in Australia. It is an erect or spreading shrub with oblong, elliptic or egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end toward the base, and white flowers with five

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 ...

Description

''Thryptomene calycina'' is an erect or spreading shrub that typically grows to a height of . Its leaves are oblong to elliptic or egg-shaped with the narrower end toward the base, long, wide and sessile with a keel on the lower surface. The flowers are borne singly, in pairs or groups of three in upper leaf axils 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 flowers are often pinkish in bud, 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 and petals similar to each other, white, broadly elliptic, about long and there are five stamens. Flowering mostly occurs from July to November.

Taxonomy

This species was first formally described in 1838 by

John Lindley John Lindley Fellow of the Royal Society, FRS (5 February 1799 – 1 November 1865) was an English botanist, gardener and orchidology, orchidologist. Early years Born in Old Catton, Catton, near Norwich, England, John Lindley was one of four c ...

who gave it the name ''Baeckea calycina'' in Thomas Mitchell's book, ''Three Expeditions into the interior of Eastern Australia ''. In 1924, Otto Stapf changed the name to ''Thryptomene calycina'' in '' The Botanical Magazine''.

Distribution and habitat

Grampians thryptomene mostly grows in sandy soil and is found in heath and heathy woodland in the

Grampians The Grampian Mountains () is one of the three major mountain ranges in Scotland, that together occupy about half of Scotland. The other two ranges are the Northwest Highlands and the Southern Uplands. The Grampian range extends northeast to so ...

, although it is naturalised in a suburb of Melbourne and there is an old record from South Australia.

Conservation status

This thryptomene is listed as "rare in Victoria" on the Department of Sustainability and Environment's ''Advisory List of Rare Or Threatened Plants In Victoria''.

Use in horticulture

''Thryptomene calycina'' is propagated from cuttings and is sometimes available in commercial nurseries. It requires light soil and full sun or part shade.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q7798625 calycina Flora of Victoria (state) Plants described in 1838 Taxa named by John Lindley