''Westringia cremnophila'', commonly known as Snowy River westringia, is a flowering plant in the family

Lamiaceae The Lamiaceae ( ) or Labiatae are a family of flowering plants commonly known as the mint, deadnettle or sage family. Many of the plants are aromatic in all parts and include widely used culinary herbs like basil, mint, rosemary, sage, savory ...

, a rare shrub 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 ...

to Victoria, Australia. It is a small shrub with leaves mostly in groups of three and white flowers.

Description

''Westringia cremnophila'' is a shrub to high, much-branched and thickly covered with slightly flattened white hairs, and found growing out of steep cliffs. The leaves are arranged in

whorls A whorl ( or ) is an individual circle, oval, volution or equivalent in a whorled pattern, which consists of a spiral or multiple concentric objects (including circles, ovals and arcs). Whorls in nature File:Photograph and axial plane floral ...

mostly in groups of three, oblong or almost linear shaped, long, wide, thickly hairy when young, becoming smooth, margins distinctly rolled under, apex rounded occasionally sharply points and on a petiole long. The flowers are in

racemes A raceme ( or ) or racemoid is an unbranched, indeterminate type of inflorescence bearing flowers having short floral stalks along the shoots that bear the flowers. The oldest flowers grow close to the base and new flowers are produced as the s ...

, the corolla about long, white with a mauve tinge and yellow-brown spotted throats. The calyx tube long, lobes about long and up to wide and the outer surface thickly covered with white hairs. Flowering occurs in spring.

Taxonomy and naming

''Westringia cremnophila'' was first formally described in 1957 by botanist

Norman Wakefield Norman Arthur Wakefield (28 November 1918 – 23 September 1972) was an Australian teacher, naturalist, paleontologist and botanist, notable as an expert on ferns. He described many new species of plants. Wakefield was born in Romsey, Victori ...

and the description was published in ''

The Victorian Naturalist ''The Victorian Naturalist'' is a bimonthly scientific journal covering natural history, especially of Australia. It is published by the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria and is received as part of the membership subscription of that club. From ...

'' based on a type specimen collected from "Porphory cliffs above Snowy River, east of Butchers Ridge". 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 ...

(''cremnophila'') is in reference to its "habitat".

Distribution and habitat

Snowy river westringia is restricted to Tulloch Ard Gorge in the

Snowy River National Park The Snowy River National Park is a national park located in the alpine and East Gippsland regions of Victoria, Australia. The national park is situated approximately northeast of Melbourne and southwest of Canberra, south of the Black-Allan ...

East Gippsland East Gippsland is the eastern region of Gippsland, Victoria, Australia covering 31,740 square kilometres (14%) of Victoria. It has a population of 80,114. Australian Bureau of Statistics2006 Census Community Profile Series: East Gippsland (Sta ...

, where it grows on cliff faces above the

Snowy River The Snowy River is a major river in south-eastern Australia. It originates on the slopes of Mount Kosciuszko, Australia's highest mainland peak, draining the eastern slopes of the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales, before flowing through the ...

with a north to north-east aspect. Associated plant species include shrubby platysace (''

Platysace lanceolata ''Platysace lanceolata'', commonly known as shrubby platysace, is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is small, upright shrub with variable shaped leaves and white flowers. Description ''Plat ...

''), violet daisy-bush ('' Olearia iodochroa''), digger's speedwell (''

Veronica perfoliata ''Veronica perfoliata'', commonly known as digger's speedwell, is a common perennial herb found at higher altitudes in south-eastern Australia. It is a low-growing multi-stemmed plant rising from a woody rootstock. It has rounded blue-grey foli ...

''), common fringe-myrtle (''

Calytrix tetragona ''Calytrix tetragona'' is an Australian shrub in the myrtle family. Common names include common fringe-myrtle. Description It is a widespread plant growing in many parts of southern Australia. It ranges from high rainfall areas to semi-arid zo ...

'') and tall baeckea'' ( Sannantha pluriflora'').

Conservation status and measures

''Westringia cremnophila'' is listed as "vulnerable" under the Commonwealth ''

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 The ''Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999'' (Cth) is an Act of the Parliament of Australia that provides a framework for protection of the Australian environment, including its biodiversity and its natural and cultu ...

''. After previously being listed as "vulnerable" (as of 2014) on the ''Advisory List of Rare Or Threatened Plants In Victoria'' and under the ''

Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 The ''Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988'', also known as the ''FFG Act'', is an act of the Victorian Government designed to protect species, genetic material and habitats, to prevent extinction and allow maximum genetic diversity within the Au ...

'' (Vic.), ''Westringia cremnophila'' is since October 2021 and listed as "Endangered" .Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 - Threatened List October 2021
/ref> Due to the species' restricted habitat in difficult terrain, plants have proved difficult to find over the years, but in 2011 about 500 plants were located. Only around 60 individuals (12%) of the former population of 500 plants remained after the 2019–2020 bushfires. Plants have been propagated and established at the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne as an

insurance population Translocation in wildlife conservation is the capture, transport and release or introduction of species, habitats or other ecological material (such as soil) from one location to another. It contrasts with reintroduction, a term which is gener ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q7989636 cremnophila Flora of Victoria (Australia) Taxa named by Norman Arthur Wakefield Plants described in 1957 Lamiales of Australia