Verticordia cooloomia
| Verticordia cooloomia | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Verticordia |
| Species: | V. cooloomia |
| Binomial name | |
| Verticordia cooloomia A.S.George | |
Verticordia cooloomia is a shrub found in Western Australia, referred to by the common name Cooloomia Verticordia.
V. cooloomia is slender, reaches a height of 2.5 metres, does not possess a lignotuber, and is distinguished by the form of its golden flowers, which appear between October and November. It is found along yellow sand ridges and on limestone at the Geraldton Sandplains, in open banksia woodland and shrubland, or in low heath, on undulating landscapes.
The first description was by Alex George in 1991, based on a collection made at Murchison House Station by George and others in 1986. The discovery was made by Stephen Hopper in 1979 at the Nature Reserve of the same name; the origin of the word "Cooloomia", transposed from another area, is not known.
The species is somewhat similar to Verticordia nitens, V. aurea and V. patens, the three members of V. sect. Chrysorhoe, but was separated by George to a monotypic section of Verticordia subg. Chrysoma as Verticordia sect. Cooloomia. The larger size of the leaves and flowers, make this species easily distinguishable from these.
The state's Department of Environment and Conservation identifies this species as poorly surveyed though without known threats, further study could result in a status of rare.
References
- Elizabeth A. (Berndt) George; Margaret Pieroni (illustrator) (2002). "20. Verticordia cooloomia A.S. George". Verticordia: the turner of hearts. Crawley: University of Western Australia Press. p. 170. ISBN 1-876268-46-8.
- "Verticordia cooloomia". FloraBase. Department of Environment and Conservation, Government of Western Australia.