''Lasiopetalum schulzenii'', commonly known as drooping velvet-bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family

Malvaceae Malvaceae, or the mallows, is a family of flowering plants estimated to contain 244 genera with 4225 known species. Well-known members of economic importance include okra, cotton, cacao and durian. There are also some genera containing familiar ...

and is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to southern continental Australia. It is a shrub with heart-shaped leaves and small groups of hairy white and reddish-brown flowers.

Description

''Lasiopetalum schulzenii'' is a spreading, many-stemmed, densely foliaged shrub to in height and across. The grey-green foliage is covered in fine hair, which is particularly prominent on new growth. The leaves are heart-shaped (cordate), and measure long and wide with recurved margins. Flowering occurs from September to February, the

cymes An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed on ...

bearing from five to twelve five-pointed star-shaped flowers in diameter. The

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coined b ...

s are whitish, long and densely covered with fine hair on the outside, less so or smooth on the inside. The five petals are about long and dark red-brown. Flowering is followed by round hairy fruit in diameter.

Taxonomy

Drooping velvet-bush was first formally described in 1855 by

Ferdinand von Mueller Baron Sir Ferdinand Jacob Heinrich von Mueller, (german: Müller; 30 June 1825 – 10 October 1896) was a German-Australian physician, geographer, and most notably, a botanist. He was appointed government botanist for the then colony of Vict ...

who gave it the name ''Corethrostylis schulzenii'' in his book ''Definitions of rare or hitherto undescribed Australian plants'', later published in the '' Transactions of the Philosophical Society of Victoria''. In 1863, George Bentham changed the name to ''Lasiopetalum schulzenii'' in '' Flora Australiensis''. 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 ...

(''schulzenii'') honours the 19th century botanist Ludwig F. Schulzen.

Distribution and habitat

''Lasiopetalum schulzenii'' grows on clifftops and in woodland and heath in the south-east of

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

, including on Kangaroo Island and near Port Campbell and

Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...

south-western Victoria, where it is rare. It grows on alkaline sands, and is associated with ''

Eucalyptus diversifolia ''Eucalyptus diversifolia'', commonly known as the soap mallee, coastal white mallee, South Australian coastal mallee, or coast gum is a species of mallee that is endemic to an area along the southern coast of Australia. It has smooth bark, lanc ...

'' subsp. ''megacarpa''.

Use in horticulture

''Lasiopetalum schulzenii'' has potential in horticulture, the compact foliage and flowering are features. It tolerates well-drained soils in sun or part-shaded aspect. It is frost hardy and can tolerate extended dry periods. Propagation is by seed or cutting. It has also been classified as somewhat fire retardant.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q4253016 Malvales of Australia Flora of South Australia Flora of Victoria (state) schulzenii Taxa named by Ferdinand von Mueller Plants described in 1855