Xerochrysum macranthum (Benth.) Paul

Collins, Timothy L., Schmidt-Lebuhn, Alexander N., Andrew, Rose L., Telford, Ian R. H. & Bruhl, Jeremy J., 2022, There’s gold in them thar hills! Morphology and molecules delimit species in Xerochrysum (Asteraceae; Gnaphalieae) and reveal many new taxa, Australian Systematic Botany 35 (2), pp. 120-185 : 161-162

Xerochrysum macranthum (Benth.) Paul G.Wilson, Taxon 64(1): 105 (2015)

Helichrysum macranthum Benth. in S.L. Endlicher et al., Enum. Pl. 65 (1837); Gnaphalium macranthum (Benth.) Sch.Bip., Bot. Zeit. 3: 171 (1845); Aphelexis macrantha (Benth.) Hereman Paxton’s Bot. Dict. 41 (1868). Type citation: ‘Swan River (Hügel).’ Type: Freemant. [Freemantle, Western Australia], s. dat., K.A. Huegel s.n. (holo: W 0047162*).

Helichrysum bracteatum var. albidum DC., A.P. de Candolle, Prodr. 6: 189 (1838). Type citation: ‘Rarius in hortis colitur.’ Type: Hort. Genev., 15 Oct. 1834, leg. ign. s.n. (syn: G-DC G 00470178; G-DC G 00470552, n.v., fide P. G. Wilson, Nuytsia 28: 23 (2017)).

Helichrysum glabratum DC., A.P. de Candolle, Prodr. 6: 189 (1838); Gnaphalium glabratum (DC.) Sch.Bip., Bot. Zeit. 3: 171 (1845). Type citation: ‘in Nova Hollandia merid. et orientali.’ Type: Nouvelle Hollande, cȏte oriente, s. dat., leg. ign., s.n. (syn: G-DC G00470680 *); Nouvelle Hollande, cȏte merid., s. dat., leg. ign., s.n. (syn: G-DC G00470565 *) .

Helichrysum robustum Paxton , Paxton’s Mag. Bot. 7: 188 (1840). Type citation: ‘Among the plants raised from the Swan River seeds… It has been raised both in the Clapton and Epsom nurseries.’ Type: n.v., fide P.G. Wilson, Nuytsia 28: 23 (2017).

Helichrysum niveum Graham, Bot. Mag. 67: t. 3857 (1841), nom. illeg., non (L.) Less. (1832); Helichrysum nervosum Don, Hort. Cantab. 13th edn, 567 (1845), nom. nov. Type citation: ‘raised by Mr. Low of Clapton, from seed sent from Swan River by Mr. Drummond, late of Cork, and seedlings, sent to the garden of the Caledonian Horticultural Society in October, 1839.’ Type: Gard. of Caledon. Hort Soc, 1840, leg. ign. (syn: FI 006313*); Hort. Rollison, 1838, Botanist T (syn: K 000899127*).

Erect, taprooted, annual to short-lived perennial herb up to ~ 70 cm. Stems and branches cobwebby to hirsute and hispid with septate trichomes, or glabrescent, and with glands; internode length 20–40 mm. Basal leaf rosette usually absent at flowering. Basal leaves spathulate, 70–150 mm long and 15–25 mm wide, base amplexicaul, margin cobwebby to hirsute with septate trichomes, apex apiculate; abaxial indumentum with glands, midvein indumentum pilose with septate trichomes and with glands; adaxial indumentum with scattered septate trichomes. Cauline leaves oblanceolate to elliptic, 30–100 mm long and 5–12 mm wide, base subauriculate and amplexicaul, margin hispid with septate trichomes, apex acute; abaxial indumentum with glands, midvein indumentum hirsute with septate trichomes and with glands; adaxial indumentum hispid with septate trichomes, and with glands. Foliaceous bracts subtending capitula 5–7 mm long, margin hispid. Capitula 30–50 mm wide, terminal, in panicles. Outer phyllaries broad-ovate, straw-coloured, pink, white, or occasionally yellow or brown; basal margin fimbriate and hispid, abaxial surface smooth, apex apiculate. Medial phyllaries narrow ovate to lanceolate, abaxially white or yellow, apex cuspidate. Stylar appendages deltoid. Cypsela oblong, ~ 2.6 mm long and 0.8 mm wide, cross-section squarish; pericarp brown, idioblasts present. Pappus deciduous, ~ 7–8 mm long.

Distribution

Endemic to south-western Western Australia in the Geraldton Sandplains, Jarrah Forest, and Swan Coastal Plain bioregions ( Fig. 32 ).

Phenology

Recorded flowering September–December and fruiting in November–December.

Habitat

Shrubby and grassy eucalypt woodland on gravelly sandy loam soils.

Conservation status

Occurs over a wide geographical area, including in several conservation reserves and is not considered to be rare or threatened. We recommend a status of ‘ Least Concern ’ ( IUCN 2019).

Notes

Some populations to the north and east of Perth consist entirely of plants with golden-yellow phyllaries. Molecular data confirmed that these are genetically similar to X. macranthum plants with white phyllaries. The informal phrase name X. sp. Golden was applied to populations with yellow phyllaries in the analyses.

Selected specimens examined

WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Coorow : north heading track 7.0 km E of intersection of Coastal Road [Indian Ocean Drive] and Eneabba–Coolimba road, 20 Sep. 1994, E.D. Kabay 655 ( PERTH!) . Chittering : Wannamal (127 km N of Perth), 13 Dec. 2018, T.L. Collins 1148 ( CANB!, K!, NE!, PERTH!). Mundaring: Government Road (Chidlow Road), ~ 1.9 km S of Wooroloo, 13 Dec. 2018, T.L. Collins 1150 ( CANB!, NE!, PERTH!, US!) ; junction Turkey Farm track and York–Chidlow road, 2 Nov. 1996, B.J. Lepschi 3164 & T.R. Lally ( AD, CANB, MEL, PERTH!) ; Wandoo National Park , Talbot West Road , 13 Dec. 2018, T.L. Collins 1153 ( CANB!, NE!, PERTH!). Kalamunda: Kalamunda National Park, 1 Nov. 2000, K. Macey 258 ( PERTH!) ; Lesmurdie Falls National Park , 14 Sep. 1992, S. Patrick 1213 ( PERTH!) . West Arthur : ~ 23.5 km E of Collie, 19 Dec. 2018, T.L. Collins 1164 ( CANB!, NE!, NSW!, PERTH!). Boyup Brook: Donnybrook–Boyup Brook road and intersection with Camballan Road, 19 Dec. 2018, T.L. Collins 1163 ( CANB!, MO!, NE!, PERTH!) .

Figures

Fig. 32. Distribution of Xerochrysum macranthum.