''Homoranthus montanus'' is a plant in the myrtle family

Myrtaceae Myrtaceae, the myrtle family, is a family of dicotyledonous plants placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, pōhutukawa, bay rum tree, clove, guava, acca (feijoa), allspice, and eucalyptus are some notable members of this group. All speci ...

and is endemic to a small area in southern Queensland. It has narrow leaves and up to one to six small tubular, cream-coloured flowers arranged in leaf

axil A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, st ...

s near the ends of the branchlets. As the flowers age, they turn red.

Description

An erect shrub growing to tall. The leaves are thick. Flowers and fruits sporadically throughout the year, mostly October to November.

Taxonomy and naming

''Homoranthus montanus'' was first formally described in 1991 by Lyndley Craven and S.R Jones and the description was published in '' Australian Systematic Botany''. The

specific epithet In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

(''montanus'') is a Latin word meaning "of mountains".

Distribution and habitat

Restricted to Ballandean and Mount Jibbinbar Queensland. Grows on shallow sandy soils in woodland and heath on and around granite outcrops.

Conservation

''Homoranthus montanus'' is listed as "vulnerable" under the Australian Government EPBC Act. A very rare species known from two small populations. IUCN (2010) considered vulnerable.

References

External links

The Australasian Virtual Herbarium – Occurrence data for ''Homoranthus montanus''
{{Taxonbar, from= Q15367290 Flora of Queensland Myrtales of Australia montanus Plants described in 1991