Callistachys lanceolata

Location & distribution maps

Common name:         Greenbush

Conservation status: . . .

Etymology:   

• The genus name, Callistachys means 'beautiful flower spike'

•   The species epithet (lanceolata) means lanceolate

Flowers

• The plant has conspicuous and attractive inflorescence composed of racemes with yellow flowers

• The plant flowers from September to January

Fruit:                            

Leaves:         

• The leaves of the plant are leathery and are arranged in whorls, most typically with three leaves per whorl

• The leaves are generally regular in shape between 40 mm to 170 mm in length and 4 mm to 30 mm in width and have pointed tips

Stem & branches: 

• Has silky-hairy young stems

Roots:         

Habit:        

• An erect evergreen tree or shrub that typically grows to a height of 1.5–7 m 

Habitat:   

• It grows well in sandy soils in areas that are damp, particularly along watercourses, swamps and culverts.

Distribution:                  

• South West corner and South Coast of Western Australia

Additional notes:    

• Taxonomy

  • The genus Callistachys and Callistachys lanceolata were first formally described in 1805 by Étienne Pierre Ventenat in his book, Jardin de la Malmaison

• Use in horticulture

  • Seeds can be collected from the plant but the pods the seeds are found in should be left to dry on the plant before they are broken open

  • The seeds should be scarified before sowing

Sources of information:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callistachys (2024)