Verticordia pityrhops
| Verticordia pityrhops | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Verticordia |
| Subgenus: | Verticordia |
| Section: | Verticordia |
| Species: | V. pityrhops |
| Binomial name | |
|
Verticordia pityrhops A.S.George |
|
Verticordia pityrhops, commonly known as East Mount Barren featherflower or pine-like featherflower, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a single-stemmed shrub which is densely-branched with crowded narrow linear leaves giving the impression of a miniature pine tree. When it flowers in autumn, the shrub is completely covered with masses of very small, honey-scented, pinksih-purple flowers.
Verticordia pityrhops is a shrub with a single, thick, densely branched main stem and a few side branches and which grows to a height of 20–60 cm (8–20 in) and 15–30 cm (6–10 in) wide, although some specimens grow to as high as 1.5 m (5 ft). Its leaves are dark green and crowded, narrow linear, almost needle-like, 7–14 mm (0.3–0.6 in) long with a pointed tip.
The flowers are scented and arranged in corymb-like groups near the ends of the branches, each flower on a stalk 2–4 mm (0.08–0.2 in) long. The floral cup is top-shaped, about 2 mm (0.08 in) long, smooth but hairy. The sepals are about 2 mm (0.08 in) long, spreading and pink, fading to white and have between 3 and 5 hairy lobes. The petals are a similar colour to the sepals, 2 mm (0.08 in) long, erect, egg-shaped, pimply on the outer surface and have a hairy fringe. The style is about 5 mm (0.20 in) long, curved and hairy near the tip. Flowering time is from February to June.
Verticordia pityrhops was first formally described by Alex George in 1991 and the description was published in Nuytsia. The specific epithet (pityrhops) is derived from the Ancient Greek words pitys meaning "pine" and rhops meaning "a shrub" referring to the habit of this species. Its common names include East Mount Barren featherflower, pine-like featherflower and little pine verticordia.
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