''Leionema ellipticum'' is a shrub species that is
endemic to
Queensland in Australia. It is a small shrub with smooth green leaves and creamy-white flowers in spring.
Description
''Leionema ellipticum'' is a small shrub to high with smooth, glossy, more or less
terete branchlets. The leaves are elliptic, tapering at the base, about long, wide, smooth, papery and rounded at the apex. The
inflorescence is a clusters of flowers, each flower about long on a
pedicel
Pedicle or pedicel may refer to:
Human anatomy
*Pedicle of vertebral arch, the segment between the transverse process and the vertebral body, and is often used as a radiographic marker and entry point in vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty procedures
...
long and sporadically covered with minute, upright soft hairs. The
sepals are shortly attached to the base of the flower, fleshy, triangular shaped, about long and
bracteoles falling off early. The white petals are about long, narrow oval shape, smooth and prominently keeled. Flowering occurs from December to January.
Taxonomy and naming
''Leionema ellipticum'' was first formally described by Paul G. Wilson in 1998 and the description was published in the
Nuytsia.
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 ...
''(ellipticum)'' is derived from the
Latin ''elipticus'' referring to the shape of the leaves.
Distribution and habitat
This species has a restricted distribution found growing at a windy, mountainous location in north-east
Queensland.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q18076513
ellipticum
Sapindales of Australia
Flora of Queensland
Taxa named by Paul Graham Wilson