| Blue smokebush | |
|---|---|
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| In Dryandra Woodland National Park | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Proteales |
| Family: | Proteaceae |
| Genus: | Conospermum |
| Species: | C. amoenum |
| Binomial name | |
| Conospermum amoenum Meisn. | |
| Synonyms | |
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Conospermum amoenum, commonly known as blue smokebush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect or spreading shrub with linear leaves, and spikes of blue or white tube-shaped flowers.
Description
Conospermum amoenum is an erect or spreading shrub that typically grows to a height of 1 m (3 ft 3 in) and 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) wide. It has linear leaves 9–17 mm (0.35–0.67 in) long and 0.5–1 mm (0.020–0.039 in) wide. The flowers are blue or white, arranged in spikes of 4 to 8, the flowers forming a tube 2–4 mm (0.079–0.157 in) long. The upper lip is broadly egg-shaped, 1.5–2.5 mm (0.059–0.098 in) long wide, the lower lip joined for 0.75–1.0 mm (0.030–0.039 in) long with oblong lobes 1.0–1.5 mm (0.039–0.059 in) long with a prominent mid-vein. Flowering occurs from July to October and the fruit is a hairy, golden nut 1.75–2.0 mm (0.069–0.079 in) long and 2.0–2.5 mm (0.079–0.098 in) wide.
Taxonomy
Conospermum amoenum was first formally described in 1845 by the botanist Carl Meissner in Johann Georg Christian Lehmann's book, Plantae Preissianae from specimens collected on the Darling Range in 1841.
In 1995, Eleanor Marion Bennett described the subspecies Conospermum amoenum subsp. cuneatum, and that name, and the name of the autonym are accepted by the Australian Plant Census:
- Conospermum amoenum Meisn. subsp. amoenum has auricles on its floral leaves and most of it stem leaves.
- Conospermum amoenum subsp. cuneatum E.M.Benn. has stem leaves and floral leaves expanded at the base, but without auricles.
Distribution and habitat
Conospermum amoenum is found on ironstone hills and uplands in the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest Mallee and Swan Coastal Plain bioregions of Western Australia where it grows in sandy to sandy clay soils often containing lateritic gravel. Subspecies amoenum is common between Waroona and Dalwallinu on the Darling Scarp and subsp. cuneatum is less common, found between Dryandra and York.
Conservation status
Both subspecies of Conospermum amoenum are listed as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife.
References
- ^ "Conospermum amoenum". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
- ^ "Conospermum amoenum Meisn". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
- Bennett, Eleanor M. "Conospermum amoenum". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
- "Conospermum amoenum". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
- Meissner, Carl (1845). Lehmann, Johann G.C. (ed.). Plantae preissianae sive enumeratio plantarum quas in australasia occidentali et meridionali-occidentali annis 1838-1841 collegit Ludovicus Preiss. Vol. 1. Hamburg: Sumptibus Meissneri. p. 522. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
- "Conospermum amoenum subsp. amoenum". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
- ^ "Conospermum amoenum subsp. amoenum". Flora of Australia Online. Department of the Environment and Heritage, Australian Government.
- ^ "Conospermum amoenum subsp. amoenum". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
- "Conospermum amoenum subsp. cuneatum". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
- ^ "Conospermum amoenum subsp. cuneatum". Flora of Australia Online. Department of the Environment and Heritage, Australian Government.
- ^ "Conospermum amoenum subsp. cuneatum E.M.Benn". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
| Taxon identifiers | |
|---|---|
| Conospermum amoenum |
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| Conospermum amoenum subsp. amoenum | |
| Conospermum amoenum subsp. cuneatum | |