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Mirbelia rubiifolia

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Species of legume

Mirbelia rubiifolia
In Morton National Park
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Mirbelia
Species: M. rubiifolia
Binomial name
Mirbelia rubiifolia
(Andrews) G.Don
Synonyms
  • Mirbelia reticulata Sm. nom. illeg., nom. superfl.
  • Mirbelia rubiaefolia G.Don orth. var.
  • Pultenaea rubiaefolia Andrews orth. var.
  • Pultenaea rubiifolia Andrews
Fruit at Barrenjoey

Mirbelia rubiifolia, commonly known as heathy mirbelia, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a diffuse, spreading shrub with narrowly egg-shaped to linear, sharply-pointed leaves and clusters of pink to purple flowers.

Description

Mirbelia rubiifolia is a diffuse, spreading shrub that typically grows to a height of up to 50 cm (20 in) and has angular stems, sometimes covered with soft hairs pressed against the surface. Its leaves are arranged in whorls of three, and are narrowly egg-shaped to lance-shaped or linear, mostly 10–25 mm (0.39–0.98 in) long, 2–4 mm (0.079–0.157 in) long and sharply pointed, on a petiole up to 1 mm (0.039 in) long. The upper surface has a conspicuous network of veins and the lower surface sometimes has a few scattered hairs. The flowers are arranged in clusters in leaf axils or in racemes on the ends of branches on silky-hairy pedicels up to 2 mm (0.079 in) long. The sepals are 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) long and joined at the base, the upper two lobes almost completely fused. The petals are 8–9 mm (0.31–0.35 in) long and pink to purple, rarely white, the standard petal kidney-shaped and the keel much shorter than the wings. Flowering occurs from October to December and the fruit is an oval pod about 5 mm (0.20 in) long.

Taxonomy

Heathy mirbelia was first formally described in 1804 by Henry Cranke Andrews who gave it the name Pultenaea rubiaefolia in The Botanist's Repository for New, and Rare Plants, from material that had been taken to England and cultivated by Lee and Kennedy in Hammersmith in 1792. James Edward Smith changed the name to Mirbelia reticulata in 1805, noting that "he leaves are elegantly reticulated with transverse veins, as if stitched with thread" but the name is illegitimate. In 1832, George Don changed the name to Mirbelia rubiifolia in A General History of Dichlamydeous Plants. The specific epithet (rubiifolia) refers to the resemblance of its leaves to those of the genus Rubus.

Distribution and habitat

Heathy mirbelia is found in sclerophyll forest and woodlands, as well as in heath on sandy soils on the coast or tablelands, often in areas liable to inundation. It is found from Croajingolong National Park in Victoria northward through New South Wales to Queensland.

Use in horticulture

Mirbelia rubiifolia is rarely cultivated, but adapts well to a part-shaded spot in a subtropical garden. Supplementary water in dry spells is beneficial. It can be an untidy and scrambling shrub which can look better with pruning.

References

  1. "Mirbelia rubiifolia". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  2. ^ Porteners, Marianne F. "Mirbelia rubiifolia". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  3. ^ Alan Fairley – Wildflowers of Sydney & adjoining areas ISBN 1-876473-38-X page 204
  4. Jeanes, Jeff A.; Walsh, Neville G. "Mirbelia rubiifolia". Rpoyal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  5. Robinson, Les (1991). Field guide to the native plants of Sydney. Kenthurst, NSW: Kangaroo Press. p. 82. ISBN 0864171927.
  6. "Mirbelia reticulata". APNI. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  7. Smith, James E. (1805). "Remarks on the generic Characters of the Decandrous Papilionaceous Plants of New Holland". Annals of Botany. 1 (3): 511–512. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  8. "Mirbelia rubiifolia". APNI. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  9. Don, George (1832). A General History of Dichlamydeous Plants. Vol. 2. London. p. 126. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  10. ^ Elliot, Rodger W.; Jones, David L.; Blake, Trevor (1993). Encyclopaedia of Australian Plants Suitable for Cultivation: Volume 6 (K-M). Port Melbourne: Lothian Press. pp. 430–31. ISBN 978-0-85091-589-1.
  11. Wild Plants of Victoria (database). Viridans Biological Databases & Department of Sustainability and Environment. 2009.
Taxon identifiers
Mirbelia rubiifolia
Pultenaea rubiifolia
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