''Thomasia petalocalyx'', commonly known as paper flower, is endemic to southern and western parts of Australia. The flowers are bell-like, a delicate pink with 5 papery segments and hang low to the ground.

Description

''Thomasia petalocalyx'' is a short shrub, 0.25 - 1.2m high that grows in coastal and drier, sandy regions in southern Australia. Leaves are ovate to lanceolate, 10-40mm long and 4-11mm wide. Stipules are leaf-like, 8-12mm long and 4-8mm wide. Flowers have a single whorl of 5 . Calyx has 5 segments, 7-8mm long and 3.5-4.5mm wide with have a papery texture, hence the specific common name. Petals are red and reduced in size, less than 1mm long. Anthers are a red-brown colour approximately 2mm long. Flowers from September to March.

Distribution and habitat

The paper flower is found in coastal and drier heathy areas throughout Southern Australia from Albany in Western Australia to Port Phillip Bay in Victoria, with an isolated population in Wilson Promontory.

Taxonomy

''Thomasia petalocalyx'' 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 ...

and the description was published in ''Definitions of rare or hitherto undescribed Australian plants.

References

External links

FloraBase: the Western Australian Flora: ''Thomasia petalocalyx''VicFlora: Flora of Victoria: ''Thomasia petalocalyx''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q17580958 Taxa named by Ferdinand von Mueller petalocalyx Plants described in 1855