Biology:Lasiopetalum cenobium

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Short description: Species of plant

Lasiopetalum cenobium

Priority One — Poorly Known Taxa (DEC)
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Genus: Lasiopetalum
Species:
L. cenobium
Binomial name
Lasiopetalum cenobium
K.A.Sheph. & C.F.Wilkins[1]

Lasiopetalum cenobium, is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae and is endemic to a restricted part of the south-west of Western Australia. It is only known from the type location, not having been collected since 1918.

Description

Lasiopetalum cenobium has stems densely covered with woolly, star-shaped hairs. The leaves are egg-shaped, 17–43 mm (0.67–1.69 in) long and 12–29 mm (0.47–1.14 in) wide on a woolly-hairy petiole 9–24 mm (0.35–0.94 in) long, the edges turned downwards. The upper surface of the leaves sparsely covered with white, star-shaped hairs and the lower surface densely covered with white and rust-coloured, star-shaped hairs. The flowers are arranged in loose groups of three to five, 75–95 mm (3.0–3.7 in) long, the peduncles hairy and 28–65 mm (1.1–2.6 in) long, each flower on a pedicel 8.5–10 mm (0.33–0.39 in) long with thread-like bracts about 8 mm (0.31 in) long at the base and three further thread-like bracts 10.5–14 mm (0.41–0.55 in) long near the base of the sepals. The sepals are pink with a dark red base, about 11.5–15 mm (0.45–0.59 in) long with five egg-shaped lobes about 9 mm (0.35 in) long, and there are no petals.[2][3]

Taxonomy

Lasiopetalum cenobium was first formally described in 2015 by Kelly Anne Shepherd and Carolyn F. Wilkins in the journal Nuytsia from specimens collected in New Norcia in 1918.[4] The specific epithet (cenobium) means "monastery", referring to the monastic town of New Norcia where the only two known specimens were collected in 1918.[2]

Distribution and habitat

This lasiopetalum is only known from two collections made in 1918 and recent searches made in the region have failed to located further specimens.[3][2][5]

Conservation status

Lasiopetalum cenobium is listed as "Priority One" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions,[3] meaning that it is known from only one or a few locations which are potentially at risk.[6]

References

Wikidata ☰ Q51046783 entry