Westringia brevifolia

Wikipedia links:       Angiosperms  > Eudicots > Asterids >   Lamiales > Lamiaceae > Westringia  brevifolia

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Common name:         Greater Shortleaf Westringia

Conservation status: ...

Etymology:   

Flowers

• Conspicuous, insect attracting flowers appear late Winter to Summer with white to mauve petals and medium pink markings on the throat

• Inflorescences are asymmetric and pedicellate, with solitary flowers emerging in the axils of new growth

• The corolla consists of five fused petals that are twice as long as the calyx and covered in sparse hairs

• The lobes are narrow with two slightly wider petals at the top of the flower forming the upper lip and three narrower ones forming the lower lip

• Calyxes are persistent and narrow-triangular with a tapered end, 5-6mm in length and over half as long as the tube

• Reproductive parts consist of four stamens, with slightly pink-brown anthers, and a white pistil

• The upper two stamens are fertile, while the lower two stamens are infertile, or staminode.

Fruit:                            

• The fruit consists of four, reticulate-rugose nutlets encased in a dry schizocarp, appearing after flowering, usually still encased by the calyx

Leaves:         

• The leaves are a medium green, either elliptic-lanceolate or oblong on shape 

• Softly pointed tip and shortly revolute margins

• They are usually 6-8mm long by 1.2-3mm wide, emerging from white stems in whorls of four

• With a silver-white abaxial surface and densely appressed hairs covering the leaves and stems

Stem & branches: 

Roots:         

Habit:        

Habitat:   

Distribution:                  

Additional notes:     

• Taxonomy

  • Written accounts of W. brevifolia first appeared in English botanist, George Bentham’s Labiatarum Genera et Species 5. in the year 1834

  • The name has changed slightly over the years, going by both Westringia rosmariniformis and Westringia raleighii, but has been recorded in the Australian Plant census as W. brevifolia since 2010

• Subspecies

  • Westringia brevifolia var. raleighii, commonly known as Coast Westringia, is a dense shrub with limited distribution, growing slightly larger than the main form at 1.5m by 1.5m with white flowers during the summer months

  • Leaves are 6-8mm (0.24-0.31in) long and 3.5mm (0.14in) wide

  • Calyxes are roughly the same size as the standard variety at c. 6mm 

  •  Var. raleighii has a limited distribution and is listed as an endangered species under the Tasmanian Threatened Species Protection Act 1995

• Cultivation

  • A popular shrub in landscaping with many cultivated varieties such as ‘Lilac and Lace’, a varigated variety growing up to 1.5m  high by 1.5m wide with pale leaves, green in the centre with cream coloured margins (hairs absent), and mauve flowers from Summer to Winter; and ‘Silver Lining’, which thrives in dry coastal areas, also growing c. 1.5m wide, however in contrast to other varieties, in grows in a rather prostrate form