Mirbelia

''Mirbelia'' is a plant genus belonging to the family Fabaceae and is endemic to Australia, occurring in every mainland state except South Australia. Plants in the genus ''Mirbelia'' are prickly, perennial shrubs with simple, sometimes sharply-pointed leaves, or the leaves absent. The flowers are arranged singly or in groups in leaf axils or on the ends of branches, the sepals joined at the base with five teeth. The petals are usually red, orange, purplish or bluish and the fruit is an inflated pod.

Description

Plants in the genus ''Mirbelia'' are prickly shrubs with spiny branchlets or sharply-pointed leaves. The leaves are simple with the edges turned down or rolled under, sometimes absent, or sometimes with small stipules at the base. The flowers are arranged in leaf axils or on the ends of branches, either singly or in clusters or racemes sometimes with small bracts, sometimes with small bracteoles. The sepals are joined at the base with five overlapping teeth, the two upper teeth usually wider than the lower three and fused for most of their length. The petals are usually yellow, orange, purplish or bluish, the standard petal more or less round to kidney-shaped and longer than the wings and keel. The fruit is an inflated pod containing two or more black, shiny seeds.

Taxonomy

The genus ''Mirbelia'' was first formally described in 1895 by James Edward Smith in his book, the ''Annals of Botany'' and the first species described was ''Mirbelia reticulata'', now known as ''Mirbelia rubiifolia''. The genus name honours Charles-François Brisseau de Mirbel.

Species list

The following is a list of species of ''Mirbelia'' accepted by the Australian Plant Census as at June 2022:

* ''Mirbelia aotoides'' F.Muell. (Qld.)
* ''Mirbelia balsiformis'' R.Butcher (W.A.)
* ''Mirbelia baueri'' (Benth.) J.Thomps. (Qld.)
* ''Mirbelia confertiflora'' Pedley (Qld., N.S.W.)
* ''Mirbelia corallina'' R.Butcher (W.A.)
* ''Mirbelia densiflora'' C.A.Gardner (W.A.)
* ''Mirbelia depressa'' E.Pritz. (W.A.)
* '' Mirbelia dilatata'' R.Br. — holly-leaved mirbelia
* '' Mirbelia ferricola'' R.Butcher (W.A.)
* ''Mirbelia floribunda'' Benth. ex Lindl. — purple mirbelia (W.A.)
* '' Mirbelia granitica'' Crisp & J.M.Taylor (W.A.)
* '' Mirbelia longifolia'' C.A.Gardner (W.A.)
* '' Mirbelia microphylla'' (Turcz.) Benth. (W.A.)
* '' Mirbelia multicaulis'' (Turcz.) Benth. (W.A.)
* '' Mirbelia ovata'' Meisn. (W.A.)
* '' Mirbelia oxylobioides'' F.Muell. — mountain mirbelia (N.S.W., A.C.T., Vic., Tas.)
* '' Mirbelia platylobioides'' (DC.) Joy Thomps. (N.S.W.)
* '' Mirbelia pungens'' A.Cunn. ex G.Don — prickly mirbelia (Qld., N.S.W., A.C.T., Vic.)
* '' Mirbelia ramulosa'' (Benth. ex Lindl.) C.A.Gardner (W.A., N.T.)
* '' Mirbelia rhagodioides'' Crisp & J.M.Taylor (W.A.)
* ''Mirbelia rubiifolia'' (Andrews) G.Don — heathy mirbelia (Qld., N.S.W., Vic.)
* '' Mirbelia seorsifolia'' (F.Muell.) C.A.Gardner (W.A.)
* '' Mirbelia speciosa'' Sieber ex DC.
** ''Mirbelia speciosa'' subsp. ''ringrosei'' (F.M.Bailey) Pedley (Qld., N.S.W.)
** ''Mirbelia speciosa'' subsp. ''speciosa'' DC.
* '' Mirbelia spinosa'' (Benth.) Benth. (W.A.)
* '' Mirbelia stipitata'' Crisp & J.M.Taylor (W.A.)
* '' Mirbelia subcordata'' Turcz. (W.A.)
* '' Mirbelia taxifolia'' C.A.Gardner (W.A.)
* ''Mirbelia trichocalyx'' Domin (W.A.)
* '' Mirbelia viminalis'' (A.Cunn. ex Benth.) C.A.Gardner (W.A., N.T., Qld.)

References

Further reading

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External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1304198

Mirbelioids
Fabales of Australia
Fabaceae genera