Prostanthera galbraithiae

Prostanthera galbraithiae
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Prostanthera
Species: P. galbraithiae
Binomial name
Prostanthera galbraithiae
B.J.Conn.[1]

Prostanthera galbraithiae, commonly known as Wellington mint-bush, is a flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae. It is endemic to Victoria in Australia.[2]

Description

The species is a subshrub or shrub to between 0.1 and 2 metres high.[3] It has aromatic, sessile leaves which are usually strongly revolute and 8–15 mm long and 2–3 mm wide.[3] The flowers are deep-mauve to purple with maroon spots in the centre and appear in September and October in the species native range.[2][3]

Taxonomy

The species was first formally described by botanist Barry J. Conn in 1998 in Telopea.[1] The species epithet is named for Jean Galbraith, a member of the Latrobe Valley Field Naturalists, who co-discovered the species and advocated for its protection.[3]

Distribution and habitat

The species occurs on sandy soils over clay on the Gippsland plains in Holey Plains State Park.[3] It is associated with Eucalyptus obliqua woodland with a heathy understorey including species such as Acacia oxycedrus, Epacris impressa, Lepidosperma concavum, Leptospermum myrsinoides and Platylobium obtusangulum.[3] It can become locally common after fire.[3] However, a population at Dutson Downs appears to have become extinct due to overly-frequent fires.[2]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Prostanthera galbraithiae". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government, Canberra. Retrieved 2009-09-25.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Carter, Oberon; Neville Walsh. "National Recovery Plan for the Wellington Mint-bush Prostanthera galbraithiae". Department of Sustainability and Environment. Retrieved 7 January 2013.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Conn, Barry J. (1998). "Contributions to the systematics of Prostanthera (Labiatae) in south-eastern Australia". Telopea 7 (4): 319–332.