Commersonia corniculata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Genus: Commersonia
Species:
C. corniculata
Binomial name
Commersonia corniculata
Synonyms[1]
List
  • Commerconia cygnorum F.Muell. orth. var.
  • Commersonia cygnorum Steud.
  • Lasiopetalum corniculatum Sm.
  • Restiaria cygnorum (Steud.) Kuntze
  • Ruelingia cygnorum C.A.Gardner orth. var.
  • Ruelingia malvifolia Diels & E.Pritz. orth. var.
  • Rulingia cygnorum (Steud.) C.A.Gardner
  • Rulingia malvaefolia Steetz orth. var.
  • Rulingia malvifolia Steetz nom. illeg., nom. superfl.

Commersonia corniculata is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is an erect to prostrate shrub with 3-lobed, egg-shaped leaves, and white to cream-coloured flowers.

Description

Commersonia corniculata is an erect to prostrate shrub that typically grows to 0.3–2 m (1 ft 0 in – 6 ft 7 in) high and 0.4–2 m (1 ft 4 in – 6 ft 7 in) wide and its new growth densely covered with white, star-shaped hairs. The leaves are egg-shaped, 8–20 mm (0.31–0.79 in) long and 4–16 mm (0.16–0.63 in) wide on a petiole 1–5 mm (0.039–0.197 in) long with stipules 1–6 mm (0.039–0.236 in) long at the base. The edges of the leaves have 3 lobes and sometimes a heart-shaped base and are rolled under, the lower surface densely covered with star-shaped hairs. The flowers are arranged in clusters of 5 to 15 up to 30 mm (1.2 in) long on a peduncle 4–14 mm (0.16–0.55 in) long, each flower 5–12 mm (0.20–0.47 in) in diameter on a pedicel 1–6 mm (0.039–0.236 in) long. The flowers have five white to cream-coloured, petal-like sepals, five white petals with a linear ligule about the same length as the sepals, and a single white staminode between each pair of stamens. Flowering occurs from August to December and the fruit is a spherical capsule 12–15 mm (0.47–0.59 in) in diameter.[2]

Taxonomy

Commersonia corniculata was first formally described as Lasiopetalum corniculatum in 1822 by the English botanist James Edward Smith, from material gathered at King George Sound by Archibald Menzies.[3][4] In 2018, Kelly Anne Shepherd and Carolyn Wilkins examined the material and determined that it matched the later described species, Commersonia cygnorum (described by Ernst Gottlieb von Steudel in 1845).[5] Since Lasiopetalum corniculatum is the first legitimate description of the plant, the name needed to be changed to Commersonia corniculata.[6]

The specific epithet (corniculata) means "corniculate", referring to the tips of the petals.[7]

Distribution and habitat

This species grows in woodland, heath and between granite boulders in near coastal areas south of Perth, from Busselton to Walpole-Nornalup National Park and near Esperance in the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest, Swan Coastal Plain and Warren bioregions of south-western Western Australia.[2][8]

Conservation status

Commersonia corniculata is listed as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 "Commersonia corniculata". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  2. 1 2 Blake, Trevor L. (2021). Lantern bushes of Australia ; Thomasias & allied genera : a field and horticultural guide. Victoria: Australian Plants Society, Keilor Plains Group. pp. 172–173. ISBN 9780646839301.
  3. ↑ "Commersonia corniculata". Australian Plant Name Index, IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
  4. ↑ Smith, J.E (1822). Rees, A. (ed.). "Lasiopetalum". The Cyclopaedia. 20.
  5. ↑ Steudel, E.G. von (1845). Lehmann, J.G.C. (ed.). "Buttneriaceae". Plantae Preissianae. 1 (2): 237.
  6. ↑ Shepherd, Kelly Anne; Wilkins, Carolyn F. (2018). "Commersonia corniculata (Malvaceae), a new name for C. cygnorum" (PDF). Nuytsia. 29: 67–68. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  7. ↑ Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 170. ISBN 9780958034180.
  8. 1 2 "Commersonia corniculata". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
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