Conospermum caeruleum

Blue Brother
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
Order: Proteales
Family: Proteaceae
Genus: Conospermum
Species: C. caeruleum
Binomial name
Conospermum caeruleum
R.Br.

Conospermum caeruleum, commonly known as Blue Brother,[1] is a shrub endemic to the south-western corner of Western Australia.

Description

It grows as a prostrate or straggly shrub, from 0.1 to 1.2 metres high. The leaves are clustered at the base of the stem and scattered above, thread-like to oval in shape, from 1.5 cm to more than 17 cm long. The leaves have prominent veins and end abruptly in a sharp point.

The inflorescence is a dense cluster of up to 18 tube-like blue flowers, each about 5 mm long.[2]

Taxonomy

C. caeruleum was first described by Robert Brown from a specimen collected near "King George's Sound, west coast of New Holland; lat. 35"[3] and published in "Transactions of the Linnean Society of London" (Trans.Linn.Soc.Lond. 10:154(1810)). The specific epithet (caeruleum) is derived from the Latin caerulus = (of, or pertaining to the sea or sky).[4]

Six subspecies are recognised:[5]

Conospermum caeruleum R.Br. subsp caeruleum

Conospermum caeruleum R.Br. subsp contortum E. M. Benn.

Conospermum caeruleum R.Br.subsp debile Meisn. E.M. Benn.

Conospermum caeruleum R.Br. subsp marginatum Meisn. E.M. Benn.

Conospermum caeruleum R.Br. subsp oblanceolatum E. M. Benn.

Conospermum caeruleum R.Br. subsp spathulatum Benth. E.M. Benn.

[Note: Eleanor Marion Bennett (1942 - ) is an Australian botanist who worked at the Western Australian Herbarium from 1965 -70.][6]

Distribution and habitat

C. caeruleum occurs in the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance, Geraldton Sandplains, Jarrah Forest, Mallee, Swan Coastal Plain and Warren biogeographical regions of Western Australia growing on sand, sandy peat, stony clay, laterite or granite in areas that are wet in winter.[7]

Cultivation

Conospermum spp., especially the Western Australian ones are difficult to cultivate.[8]

Conservation status

It is not considered threatened.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Conospermum caeruleum R.Br". Florabase Department of Parks and Wildlife, Government of Western Australia. 10 June 2005. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  2. ↑ Bennett, E. M. "Conospermum caeruleum". Flora of Australia Online (derived from Flora of Australia Volumes 16 (1995), 17A (2000) and 17B (1999)). Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  3. ↑ "The Linnean Collections". The Linnean Society of London. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  4. ↑ "Wiktionary". Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  5. ↑ "Conospermum caeruleum". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government, Canberra. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  6. ↑ "Biographical notes". Council of Heads of Australian Herbaria. 13 November 2007. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  7. ↑ Paczkowska, Grazyna; Chapman, Alex R. (2000). The Western Australian flora : a descriptive catalogue. Perth: Wildflower Society of Western Australia. p. 469. ISBN 0646402439.
  8. ↑ Wrigley, John W.; Fagg, Murray (1983). Australian native plants : a manual for their propagation, cultivation and use in landscaping (2nd ed. ed.). Sydney: Collins. pp. 200 – 201. ISBN 0002165759.