Spyridium ulicinum explained

Spyridium ulicinum is a species of flowering plant in the family Rhamnaceae and is endemic to Tasmania. It is a tall shrub with linear to oblong leaves, and single or small groups of white flowers.

Description

Spyridium ulicinum is an upright, heath-like shrub that typically grows to a height of or more, and has many branches. The leaves are linear to oblong, mostly less and arranged singly, in pairs or groups of 3 near the ends of short side-branches with overlapping brown bracts at the base of each flower. The sepals are about long, and silky-hairy.^{[1] [2] [3]}

Taxonomy

This species was first formally described in 1855 by William Jackson Hooker who gave it the name Cryptandra ulicina and published the description in his journal, The Journal of Botany.^{[4] [5]} In 1863, George Bentham changed the name to Spyridium ulicinum in the Flora Australiensis.^[6] The specific epithet (ulicinum) means "Ulex-like".^[7]

Distribution and habitat

Spyridium ulicinum is widespread but not common and grows in woodland in Tasmania.

Notes and References

1. Book: Bentham . George . Flora Australiensis . 1 . 1863 . Lovell Reeve & Co. . London . 434 . 24 November 2022.
2. Book: Rodway . Leonard . The Tasmanian Flora . 1903 . Tasmanian Government Printer . Hobart . 28 . 24 November 2022.
3. Web site: Jordan . Greg . Spyridium ulicinum . University of Tasmania . 24 November 2022.
4. Web site: Cryptandra ulicina. APNI. 23 November 2022.
5. Hooker . William Jackson . Contributions Towards a Flora of Van Dieman's Land; from collections sent by R. W. Lawrence, and Ronald Gunn, Esqrs., and by Dr. Scott. . The Journal of Botany . 1834 . 1 . 257 . 23 November 2022.
6. Web site: Spyridium ulicinum . Australian Plant Name Index . 23 November 2022.
7. Book: Sharr . Francis Aubi . George . Alex . Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings . 2019 . Four Gables Press . Kardinya, WA . 9780958034180 . 331 . 3rd.