| Telopea aspera | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Order: | Proteales |
| Family: | Proteaceae |
| Genus: | Telopea |
| Species: | T. aspera |
| Binomial name | |
| Telopea aspera Crisp & P.H.Weston |
|
Telopea aspera, commonly known as the Gibraltar Range Waratah, is a large shrub in the Proteaceae family. It is endemic to the New England region in New South Wales in Australia. It was first described by botanists Peter Weston and Mike Crisp in 1995,[1] separate from its close relative Telopea speciosissima by its rough foliage and dryer habitat.
The Gibraltar Range Waratah is a large erect shrub up to 3 or 4 metres (10-13 ft) in height with one or more stems. It has dull green leaves which are alternate, and are more coarsely-toothed than its southern relative. The inflorescences, which appear in spring, are large and crimson coloured. They consist of a large domed flowerhead ringed by bracts. These are followed by large seed pods which eventually turn brown and split open revealing winged seeds inside.