''Tetratheca paynterae'', also known as Paynter's Tetratheca, is a species of plant in the

quandong Quandong, quandang or quondong, is a common name for the species ''Santalum acuminatum'' (desert, sweet, Western quandong), especially its edible fruit, but may also refer to * '' Aceratium concinnum'' (highroot quandong) * '' Peripentadenia mear ...

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

that 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 ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. There are two recognised

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

Subspecies

* ''T. paynterae'' subsp. ''paynterae'' * ''T. paynterae'' subsp. ''cremnobata''

Description

The species grows as an erect or spreading

shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...

to 0.15–1 m in height. The leaves are 0.8–2.5 mm long and less than a millimetre wide. The flowers occur in clusters, each flower having five petals 5–13 mm long and 3–8 mm wide, deep pink in colour with a yellow spot at the base. The fruits are 5–8 mm long and 4–6 mm wide. Peak flowering takes place from September to November.

Distribution and habitat

The known range of the species is limited to two sites 80–110 km north of Koolyanobbing in the Coolgardie

IBRA The Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA) is a biogeographic regionalisation of Australia developed by the Australian government's Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population, and Communities. It was devel ...

bioregion of

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

. It grows in sparse, open scrub, in shallow pockets of red

loam Loam (in geology and soil science) is soil composed mostly of sand (particle size > ), silt (particle size > ), and a smaller amount of clay (particle size < ). By weight, its mineral composition is about 40–40–20% concentration of sand–sil ...

soil in rock crevices and on cliffs and ridges in exposed areas on banded ironstone hills.

Conservation

The species has been listed as

Endangered An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inva ...

under Australia's EPBC Act.

References

paynterae Eudicots of Western Australia Oxalidales of Australia Plants described in 1995 {{Australia-rosid-stub