Pimelea

''Pimelea'', commonly known as rice flowers, is a genus of plants belonging to the family Thymelaeaceae. There are about 150 species, including 110 in Australia and thirty six in New Zealand.

Description

Plants in the genus ''Pimelea'' are herbs or small shrubs usually with leaves arranged in opposite pairs. The leaves are usually paler on the lower surface and the petiole is usually very short. The flowers are usually arranged in groups on the ends of the branches and have no petals but four petal-like sepals and two stamens. The ovary has a single ovule and the fruit is usually a nut containing a single seed.

Taxonomy and naming

The genus ''Pimelea'' was first formally described in 1788 by Joseph Gaertner from unpublished descriptions by Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander. The first species Gaertner described was ''Pimelea laevigata'', now known as ''Pimelea prostrata''.

The name ''Pimelea'' is from the Ancient Greek word ''pimele'' meaning "fat or "lard", possibly referring to the oily seeds or fleshy cotyledons of riceflowers.

Ecology

Some species, including '' P. curviflora'', '' P. flava'', '' P. glauca'', '' P. linifolia'', '' P. microcephala'', '' P. neo-anglica'', '' P. pauciflora'', '' P. simplex'' and '' P. trichostachya'' are known to be toxic to stock and there is no known cure.

Species

About 150 species of ''Pimelea'' have been formally described, including about 110 in Australia and 36 in New Zealand. The following is a combined list of names accepted by the ''Australian Plant Census'' or the ''New Zealand Plant Conservation Network'' as of December 2021:

*'' Pimelea acra'' C.J.Burrows & de Lange (N.Z.)
*''Pimelea actea'' C.J.Burrows (N.Z.)
*'' Pimelea aeruginosa'' F.Muell. (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea alpina'' F.Muell. ex Meisn. - alpine riceflower (N.S.W., Vic.)
*'' Pimelea altior'' F.Muell. (Qld., N.S.W.)
*'' Pimelea amabilis'' (Domin) A.R.Bean (Qld.)
*'' Pimelea ammocharis'' F.Muell. (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea angustifolia'' R.Br. (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea approximans'' A.R.Bean (Qld.)
*'' Pimelea aquilonia'' Rye (Qld.)
*'' Pimelea argentea'' R.Br. – silvery leaved pimelea (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea aridula'' Cheeseman (N.Z.)
*'' Pimelea avonensis'' Rye – (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea axiflora'' F.Muell. ex Meisn. – bootlace bush (N.S.W., Vic., Tas.)
**''Pimelea axiflora'' subsp. ''alpina''
**''Pimelea axiflora'' subsp. ''axiflora''
**''Pimelea axiflora'' subsp. ''pubescens''
*'' Pimelea barbata'' C.J.Burrows (N.Z.)
*'' Pimelea biflora'' N.A.Wakef. – matted rice flower (N.S.W.,Vic.)
*''Pimelea brachyphylla'' Benth. (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea bracteata'' Threlfall (N.S.W.)
*'' Pimelea brevifolia'' R.Br. (W.A.)
**''Pimelea brevifolia'' subsp. ''brevifolia''
**''Pimelea brevifolia'' subsp. ''modesta''
*'' Pimelea brevistyla'' Rye (W.A.)
**''Pimelea brevistyla'' subsp. ''brevistyla''
**''Pimelea brevistyla'' subsp. ''minor''
*'' Pimelea buxifolia'' Hook.f. (N.Z.)
*'' Pimelea calcicola'' Rye (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea carnosa'' C.J.Burrows (N.Z.)
*'' Pimelea chlorina'' A.R.Bean (Qld.)
*'' Pimelea ciliata'' Rye (W.A.)
**''Pimelea ciliata'' subsp. ''ciliata''
**''Pimelea ciliata'' subsp. ''longituba''
*'' Pimelea ciliolaris'' (Threlfall) Rye (N.S.W.)
*'' Pimelea cinerea'' R.Br. (Tas.)
*'' Pimelea clavata'' Labill. (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea concinna'' Allan (N.Z.)
*'' Pimelea concreta'' F.Muell. (W.A., N.T.)
*'' Pimelea confertiflora'' A.R.Bean (Qld.)
*''Pimelea congesta'' C.Moore & F.Muell. (Lord Howe Island)
*'' Pimelea cornucopiae'' Vahl (Qld.)
*'' Pimelea cracens'' Rye (W.A.)
**''Pimelea cracens'' subsp. ''cracens''
**''Pimelea cracens'' subsp. ''glabra''
*'' Pimelea cremnophila'' L.M.Copel. & I.Telford (N.S.W.)
*'' Pimelea cryptica'' C.J.Burrows & Enright (N.Z.)
*''Pimelea curviflora'' R.Br. – tough-barked riceflower, curved riceflower (N.S.W., Vic., S.A.)
**''Pimelea curviflora'' var. ''acuta'' Threlfall
**''Pimelea curviflora'' R.Br. var. ''curviflora''
**''Pimelea curviflora'' var. ''divergens'' Threlfall
**''Pimelea curviflora'' var. ''gracilis'' (R.Br.) Threlfall
**''Pimelea curviflora'' var. ''sericea'' Benth.
**''Pimelea curviflora'' var. ''subglabrata'' Threlfall
*'' Pimelea declivis'' C.J.Burrows (N.Z.)
*'' Pimelea decora'' Domin – Flinders poppy (Qld.)
*'' Pimelea drummondii'' (Turcz.) Rye (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea drupacea'' Labill. - cherry riceflower (Vic., Tas.)
*'' Pimelea dura'' C.J.Burrows (N.Z.)
*'' Pimelea elongata'' Threlfall (N.S.W., Qld., S.A.)
*'' Pimelea erecta'' Rye (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea eyrei'' F.Muell. (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea eremitica'' C.J.Burrows – roimata o tohe (N.Z.)
*''Pimelea ferruginea'' Labill. (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea filifolia'' (Rye) C.S.P.Foster & Henwood (N.T.)
*'' Pimelea filiformis'' Hook.f. (Tas.)
*'' Pimelea flava'' R.Br. - yellow riceflower, diosma riceflower (N.S.W., Vic. S.A.)
**''Pimelea flava'' subsp. ''dichotoma''
**''Pimelea flava'' subsp. ''flava''
*'' Pimelea floribunda'' Meisn. (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea forrestiana'' F.Muell. (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea fugiens'' A.R.Bean (Qld.)
*'' Pimelea gigandra'' A.R.Bean (Qld., N.S.W.)
*'' Pimelea gilgiana'' E.Pritz. (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea glauca'' R.Br. - smooth riceflower (N.S.W., Qld., Tas., S.A.)
*'' Pimelea gnidia'' (J.R.Forst. et G.Forst.) Willd. (N.Z.)
*'' Pimelea graniticola'' Rye (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea haematostachya'' F.Muell. (Qld.)
*'' Pimelea halophila'' (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea hewardiana'' - forked riceflower (Vic., S.A.)
*'' Pimelea hirta'' (N.Z.)
*'' Pimelea hirsuta'' (N.S.W.)
**''Pimelea hirsuta'' subsp. ''elliptifolia''
**''Pimelea hirsuta'' subsp. ''hirsuta''
*'' Pimelea hispida'' - bristly pimelea (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea holroydii'' (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea humilis'' - common riceflower (N.S.W., Vic., Tas., S.A.)
*'' Pimelea ignota'' – pinatoro (N.Z.)
*'' Pimelea imbricata'' (W.A.)
**''Pimelea imbricata'' var. ''imbricata''
**''Pimelea imbricata'' var. ''major''
**''Pimelea imbricata'' var. ''petraea''
**''Pimelea imbricata'' var. ''piligera''
**''Pimelea imbricata'' var. ''simulans''
*'' Pimelea interioris'' (N.T.)
*'' Pimelea lanata'' (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea latifolia'' (N.S.W., Qld.)
*'' Pimelea lehmanniana'' (W.A.)
**''Pimelea lehmanniana'' subsp. ''lehmanniana''
**''Pimelea lehmanniana'' subsp. ''nervosa''
*'' Pimelea leiophylla'' (Tas.)
*'' Pimelea leptospermoides'' (Qld.)
**''Pimelea leptospermoides'' subsp. ''bowmanii''
**''Pimelea leptospermoides'' subsp. ''leptospermoides''
*'' Pimelea leptostachya'' (Qld.)
*'' Pimelea leucantha'' (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea ligustrina'' - tall riceflower (N.S.W., Qld., Vic., Tas., S.A.)
**''Pimelea ligustrina'' subsp. ''ciliata''
**''Pimelea ligustrina'' subsp. ''hypericina''
**''Pimelea ligustrina'' subsp. ''ligustrina''
*''Pimelea linifolia'' - slender riceflower (N.S.W., Qld., S.A., Vic., Tas.)
**''Pimelea linifolia'' subsp. ''caesia''
**''Pimelea linifolia'' subsp. ''collina''
**''Pimelea linifolia'' subsp. ''linifolia''
**''Pimelea linifolia'' subsp. ''linoides'
*'' Pimelea longiflora'' (W.A.)
**''Pimelea longiflora'' subsp. ''longiflora''
*''Pimelea longifolia'' - long-leaved pimelea, taranga (N.Z.)
*'' Pimelea lyallii'' (N.Z.)
*'' Pimelea macrostegia'' (S.A.)
*'' Pimelea mesoa'' (N.Z.)
*'' Pimelea micrantha'' (N.S.W., Vic., W.A., S.A.)
*''Pimelea microcephala'' - mallee riceflower or shrubby riceflower (N.S.W., Qld., Vic., N.T., S.A., W.A.)
**''Pimelea microcephala'' subsp. ''glabra''
**''Pimelea microcephala'' subsp. ''microcephala''
*'' Pimelea microphylla'' (N.Z.)
*'' Pimelea milliganii'' (Tas.)
*'' Pimelea mimosa'' (N.Z.)
*'' Pimelea mollis'' (Qld.)
*'' Pimelea neo-anglica'' - poison pimelea, scanty riceflower (N.S.W., Qld.)
*''Pimelea neokyrea'' (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea nitens'' (N.Z.)
*''Pimelea nivea'' (Tas.)
*'' Pimelea notia'' (N.Z.)
*'' Pimelea octophylla'' - woolly riceflower, downy riceflower (Vic., S.A.)
*'' Pimelea oreophila'' (N.Z.)
*'' Pimelea orthia'' (N.Z.)
*'' Pimelea pagophila'' (Vic.)
*'' Pimelea pauciflora'' – scanty riceflower, scrub kurrajong (N.S.W., Vic., Tas.)
*'' Pimelea pelinos'' (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea pendens'' (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea penicillaris'' (N.S.W., Qld., S.A., N.T.)
*'' Pimelea petrophila'' (S.A.)
*'' Pimelea phylicoides'' (Vic., S.A.)
*'' Pimelea physodes'' - Qualup bell (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea plurinervia'' (Qld.)
*'' Pimelea poppelwellii'' – Poppelwells pimelea (N.Z.)
*'' Pimelea preissii'' (W.A.)
*''Pimelea prostrata'' – pinatoro, New Zealand daphne, Strathmore weed (N.Z.)
*'' Pimelea pseudolyallii'' (N.Z.)
*'' Pimelea punicea'' (W.A.)
*''Pimelea pygmaea'' (Tas.)
*'' Pimelea rara'' – summer pimelea (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea rosea'' – rose banjine (W.A.)
**''Pimelea rosea'' subsp. ''annelsii''
**''Pimelea rosea'' subsp. ''rosea''
*'' Pimelea rupestris'' (Qld., N.S.W.)
*'' Pimelea sanguinea'' (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea sericea'' (Tas.)
*'' Pimelea sericostachya'' (Qld.)
**''Pimelea sericostachya'' subsp. ''amabilis''
**''Pimelea sericostachya'' subsp. ''sericostachya''
*'' Pimelea sericeovillosa'' – cushion pimelea (N.Z.)
*'' Pimelea serpyllifolia'' - thyme riceflower (N.S.W., Vic., Tas., W.A., S.A.)
**''Pimelea serpyllifolia'' subsp. ''occidentalis''
**''Pimelea serpyllifolia'' subsp. ''serpyllifolia''
*'' Pimelea sessilis'' (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea simplex'' – desert riceflower (N.S.W., Qld., Vic., S.A.)
**''Pimelea simplex'' subsp. ''continua''
**''Pimelea simplex'' subsp. ''simplex''
*'' Pimelea spectabilis'' – bunjong (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea spicata'' (N.S.W.)
*'' Pimelea spiculigera'' (W.A.)
**''Pimelea spiculigera'' var. ''spiculigera''
**''Pimelea spiculigera'' var. ''thesioides''
*'' Pimelea spinescens'' - spiny riceflower (Vic.)
**''Pimelea spinescens'' subsp. ''pubiflora''
**''Pimelea spinescens'' subsp. ''spinescens''
*'' Pimelea sporadica'' (N.Z.)
*'' Pimelea stricta'' (N.S.W., Vic., Tas., S.A.)
*'' Pimelea strigosa'' (N.S.W., Qld.)
*'' Pimelea suaveolens'' – scented banjine (W.A.)
**''Pimelea suaveolens'' subsp. ''flava''
**''Pimelea suaveolens'' subsp. ''suaveolens''
*'' Pimelea subvillifera'' (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea sulphurea'' – yellow banjine (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea suteri'' (N.Z.)
*'' Pimelea sylvestris'' (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea telura'' – three kings pimelea (N.Z.)
*'' Pimelea tinctoria'' (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea tomentosa'' (N.Z.)
*'' Pimelea traversii'' (N.Z.)
*'' Pimelea treyvaudii'' – grey riceflower (N.S.W., Vic.)
*'' Pimelea trichostachya'' (N.S.W., Qld., Vic., W.A., S.A., N.T.)
*'' Pimelea umbricata'' (Qld.)
*'' Pimelea urvilleana subsp. nesica'' (N.Z.)
*'' Pimelea urvilleana subsp. urvilleana'' - pinatoro (N.Z.)
*''Pimelea venosa'' – Bolivia Hill pimelea (N.S.W.)
*'' Pimelea villifera'' (W.A.)
*'' Pimelea villosa'' – sand daphne, autetaranga, toroheke, sand pimelea (N.Z.)
*'' Pimelea williamsonii'' – Williamson's riceflower (Vic., S.A.)
*'' Pimelea xenica'' – pinatoro (N.Z.)

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2708065

Malvales genera
Taxa named by Joseph Gaertner