Howittia

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For the brachiopod genus, see Howittia (brachiopod).
Howittia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Genus: Howittia
F.Muell.
Species: H. trilocularis
Binomial name
Howittia trilocularis
F.Muell.

Howittia is a plant genus that contains just one species, Howittia trilocularis (Blue Howittia), a shrub which is native to Australia.

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[edit] Description

Howittia trilocularis is a shrub that grows to between 1 and 3 metres in height. It has lancelolate to ovate leaves up to 10 cm long that are dark green above and white or yellow to brown beneath. The flowers, which range in colour from lavender to deep mauve, are produced on long peduncles from late spring through summer.

[edit] Taxonomy

Botanist Ferdinand von Mueller first formally described the species in 1855, from the type specimen which was found growing on "bushy declivities around Lake King". Howittia was named for Godfrey Howitt's work as an amateur botanist.[1]

[edit] Distribution

It occurs in eucalypt forests in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Godfrey Howitt at Australian Dictionary of Biography accessed 2 October 2007
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