Malvaceae Lasiopetalum Wildflowers

Coast Velvetbush

Stephen L (Clare) SA — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 04:40:00 GMT

A medium to tall shrub. Leaves: The leathery leaves are between 2-8 cm long and 0.5-1 cm wide. The leaf margins are wavy and curve back towards the underside of the leaf. The upper surface is dark green and the lower surface pale grey and densely covered with star shaped hairs. Flowers: The flowers are pale-pink or white and star shaped. They are also stalkless, up to 10mm wide and crowded at the ends of the branches. Flowering occurs in spring. Fruit: The fruit is a hairy capsule up to 8 mm wide. When the fruit opens, there is one seed in each chamber (description from Cunningham et al.1992, Curtis & Morris 1975). Herbarium specimens have been collected from September to December.
Family: Malvaceae Genus: Lasiopetalum Species: discolor Main Flower Colour: Mauve

Drooping Velvet Bush

Stephen L (Clare) SA — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 04:40:00 GMT

Lasiopetalum schulzenii, commonly known as drooping velvet bush, is a common shrub of the mallow family. It was first described in the genus Corethrostylis by botanist Ferdinand von Mueller in a paper presented before the Royal Society of Victoria; that genus was treated as a section of Lasiopetalum by George Bentham in his 1863 Flora Australiensis, resulting in the current name.[1] The species was named after the 19th century botanist Ludwig F. Schulzen.[2] Lasiopetalum schulzenii is a spreading many-stemmed densely foliaged shrub to 2 m (7 ft) in height and 2.5 m (8 ft) across. The grey-green foliage is covered in fine hair, which is particularly prominent on new growth. The leaves are heart-shaped (cordate),[3] and measure 2–7 cm (0.8-2.8 in) long and 1.5–5 cm (0.6-2 in) wide with recurved margins. Flowering occurs September to February, the cymes bearing from five to twelve five-pointed star-shaped flowers. 1.5 cm (0.6 in) in diameter, the calyces are whitish, and desnely covered with fine hair on the outside, and less so or smooth on the inside. The five tiny petals are a dark red-brown around the centre of the flower. Flowering is followed by round hairy fruit 0.4 cm (0.2 in) in diameter. It is found in South Australia, and in coastal areas of south-western Victoria, where it is rare. It grows on alkaline sands, and is associated with Eucalyptus diversifolia subsp. megacarpa.
Family: Malvaceae Genus: Lasiopetalum Species: schulzenii Main Flower Colour: Cream

Pink Velvet Bush

Stephen L (Clare) SA — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 02:56:00 GMT

Pink Velvet Bush is a shrub that is up to 1.5 m high. The narrow oblong leaves are 4-9 cm long and 0.5-3 cm wide, and are hairless above and covered with rusty hairs below. Flowers with calyx lobes 5-8 mm long that are covered with white, star-shaped hairs on the outer surface, and petals 1-1.5 mm long and red-brown.
Family: Malvaceae Genus: Lasiopetalum Species: behrii Main Flower Colour: Pink

Shrubby Velvet-Bush

Member - John and Val — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 10:13:00 GMT

Wiry shrub to 2.5m tall. Stems and new shoots covered with rusty red hairs. Flowers are crowded in clusters. Calyx lobes are speckled outside with star shaped (stellate) hairs, smooth and pale inside. Grows as an undershrub in forests on sandy or rocky soil.
Family: Malvaceae Genus: Lasiopetalum Species: macrophyllum Main Flower Colour: Cream