Verticordia brownii

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Verticordia brownii

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Myrtales
Family:	Myrtaceae
Genus:	Verticordia
Species:	Verticordia brownii (Desfontaines) DC

Verticordia brownii is a woody shrub that is found in Western Australia. It was one of the first Verticordia to be collected and known to European botanists. The species was first described in 1828 by de Candolle, in the same year as Verticordia's first description. The common names have included Pink Brownii and Pink Cauliflower.

It stands as an erect or rounded shrub shrub, 200-700 mm tall and spreading 100-600 mm, and is smaller member of Verticordia. It does not possess the lignotuber structure of many of its cogenors. One main stem divides into small branchs upward to a flattened top, correlating to the corymbose form of the flower arrangements there. The leaves are 3-4mm and oblong or oval-shaped, the upper floral leaf is shorter.

The species closely resembles Verticordia eriocephala, for its wooly or 'cauliflower' appearance, but excepting that species white or creamy flowers, more slender staminodes, stamen, style, and inland occurrence. The longer style of Verticordia brownii is bearded, it bears pale pink to magenta flowers which form the corymbose clustering of flowerheads, the outer parts being longer to form the rounded shape. The flower's sepals are 2 mm long, with the slender cilia extending out 4.5 mm, a paler pink or magenta than the petals.

It occurs in deep red or yellow sands, especially in the ridges, coastal dunes, granitic sands and clays, within open scrub and heaths of the region. It is found along the southern coasts of the south west botanic province, records are of an extent between Hopetoun and Mt. Ragged

It was named after the botanist, Robert Brown, who collected many specimens of Australian flora during 1801 to 1803. The type specimens for this taxon was amongst these collections, made at Lucky Bay in what is now Cape Le Grand National Park. The plant began to be cultivated shortly after this discovery, its profuse and attractive flowering arrangement gaining the attention of nurserymen in England. The species is cultivated as an ornamental shrub, small in size, and usually presenting rose pink flowers that are profuse and perfumed. These appear during November, continuing until April, opening together and nearly covering the leaves and branches.

The plant remained undescribed until 1826, when Desfontaines included it in his previously described genus, Chamelaucium; along with the plant now known as Verticordia plumosa. These were described as belonging to a separate genus by de Candolle in 1828, the first named as Verticordia. The species was placed in a section known as Verticordia sect. Corymbiformis, in the revision by Alex George in 1991.

[edit] References

George (Berndt), Elizabeth A.; Margaret Pieroni (illustrations) (2002). Verticordia: the turner of hearts. Crawley: University of Western Australia Press, p. 226, 227, et al. ISBN 1 876 268 46 8. “'Verticordia brownii”
Verticordia brownii. FloraBase. Department of Environment and Conservation, Government of Western Australia.