Calothamnus

Calothamnus
Calothamnus quadrifidus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Calothamnus
Labill.
Synonyms[1]

Calothamnus is a genus of shrubs in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia.

They are commonly known as one-sided bottlebrush, although the name is not accurate because some species have flowers in cylinders or scattered around the stems. The flowers of Calothamnus quadrifidus are on one side of the stem, so the name one-sided bottlebrush is appropriate for that species. Calothamnus species are generally medium to tall woody shrubs with crowded leaves. The petals fall off the flower soon after it opens but the stamens are long and brightly coloured.

Description

Plants in the genus Calothamnus are medium to tall shrubs, sometimes low-growing ground covers. The leaves are linear or narrow egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, and usually have distinct oil glands. The flowers are in small groups or dense spikes on leafless, older stems or between the leaves on younger ones. The sepals are fused to form a bell-shaped cup and there are 4 or 5 petals which usually fall off after the flower has opened. The stamens are brightly coloured, crimson to a deep purple or rarely yellow, and are joined for a large proportion of their length into a "claw". The fruit is a woody capsule.[2][3]

Calothamnus graniticus subsp. graniticus
Calothamnus pinifolius

Taxonomy and naming

The first species in the genus to be described was Calothamnus sanguineus. It was first formally described in 1806 by the French biologist Jacques Labillardière in Novae Hollandiae Plantarum Specimen, Volume 2.[4][5] The name Calothamnus is derived from the Greek words καλός (kalos) meaning "beautiful"[6] and θάμνος (thamnos) meaning "shrub".[7]

In 2014, Lyndley Craven and others proposed, mainly on the basis of DNA evidence, that species in the genus Calothamnus, along with those in Beaufortia, Conothamnus, Eremaea, Lamarchea, Petraeomyrtus, Phymatocarpus and Regelia be transferred to Melaleuca.[8]

Distribution and habitat

All Calothamnus species are found in the south west botanical province of Western Australia. Some (such as Calothamnus aridus) are adapted to a dry environment whilst others (such as Calothamnus hirsutus) are often found near swamps.[2]

Use in horticulture

Most species of Calothamnus have been grown in gardens but need full sun and good drainage. Propagation is usually from seeds which are retained in the hard fruits throughout the life of the plant but cuttings can be used to retain the colour of yellow forms.[9]

Species list

The following is a list of species recognised by the Western Australian Herbarium:[3][10]

References

  1. ↑ Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  2. 1 2 Hawkeswood, Trevor J. (1984). "Nine new species of Calothamnus Labill. (Myrtaceae: Leptospermoideae) from Western Australia" (PDF). Nuytsia. 5 (1): 123–124. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Calothamnus Labill.". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  4. ↑ "Calothamnus sangineus". APNI. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  5. ↑ La Billardière, Jacques-Julien Houtou de (1806). Novae Hollandiae plantarum specimen Volume 2. Paris. pp. 25–26. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
  6. ↑ "καλός". Wiktionary. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
  7. ↑ "θάμνος". Wiktionary. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
  8. ↑ Craven, Lyn A.; Edwards, Robert D.; Cowley, Kirsten J. (30 June 2014). "New combinations and names in Melaleuca (Myrtaceae)". Taxon. 63 (3): 663–670. doi:10.12705/633.38. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  9. ↑ Wrigley, John W.; Fagg, Murray (1983). Australian native plants : a manual for their propagation, cultivation and use in landscaping (2nd ed.). Sydney: Collins. pp. 194–195. ISBN 0002165759.
  10. ↑ "Calothamnus". Western Australian Herbarium. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
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