Billardiera venusta
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Apiales
Family: Pittosporaceae
Genus: Billardiera
Species:
B. venusta
Binomial name
Billardiera venusta
Occurrence data from AVH
Synonyms[1]
  • Billardiera variifolia var. rigida Benth.
  • Marianthus venustus Putt.

Billardiera venusta is a species of flowering plant in the family Pittosporaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is a woody climber or shrub with clustered sessile, hooked leaves and groups of four to six pale lilac flowers that fade to yellow as they age.

Description

Billardiera venusta is woody climber or shrub that has both short side shoots with shaggy grey hairs. Its adult leaves are clustered, sessile and hooked, 10–20 mm (0.39–0.79 in) long, 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) wide, sessile leaves with the edges rolled under. The flowers are arranged in groups of four to six on a peduncle 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long, the individual flowers sessile. The sepals are free from each other, 4.0–5.5 mm (0.16–0.22 in) long and shaggy hairy on both sides. The petals are yellow on the outside, lilac fading to yellow on the inside as they age, and 7.5–10 mm (0.30–0.39 in) long. Flowering occurs from December to February and the mature fruit is a curved, cylindrical berry 20–25 mm (0.79–0.98 in) long.[2][3]

Taxonomy

This species was first formally described in 1839 by Alois (Aloys) Putterlick who gave it the name Marianthus venustus in Synopsis Pittosporearum.[4] In 2004, Lindy Cayzer and Michael Crisp transferred it to the genus Marianthus as M. venusta.[5] The specific epithet (venusta ) means "beautiful" or "graceful".[6]

Distribution and habitat

This species grows in woodland and mallee between Gillingarra and Esperance in the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest, Geraldton Sandplains, Mallee, Swan Coastal Plain and Warren bioregions of south-western Western Australia.[2][3]

References

  1. 1 2 "Billardiera venusta". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Billardiera venusta". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  3. 1 2 "Billardiera venusta". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  4. ↑ "Marianthus venustus". APNI. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  5. ↑ "Billardiera venusta". APNI. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  6. ↑ William T. Stearn (1992). Botanical Latin. History, grammar, syntax, terminology and vocabulary (4th ed.). Portland, Oregon: Timber Press. p. 527.
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