Verticordia insignis

Verticordia insignis
Plate 2 from A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony; V. insignis is on the left.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Myrtales
Family:	Myrtaceae
Genus:	Verticordia
Subgenus:	Verticordia
Section:	Catocalypta
Species:	V. inclusa Endl.
Binomial name
Verticordia inclusa
Subspecies
V. insignis Endl. subsp. insignis V. insignis subsp. compta A.S. George V. insignis subsp. eomagis A.S.George

Verticordia insignis is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an open, irregularly-branched shrub with small leaves and heads of relatively large pink or white and pink flowers on the ends of the branches in spring.

Description

Verticordia insignis is an open, irregularly-branched shrub which grows to 1.5 m (5 ft) high. Its leaves are linear to elliptic in shape, roughly triangular in cross-section, 3–7 mm (0.1–0.3 in) long with a rounded end. Leaves near the flowers tend to be wider than those further down the stems.^[1]

The flowers are scented and arranged in rounded, corymb-like groups on the ends of the branches on erect stalks 8–25 mm (0.3–1 in) long. The floral cup is top-shaped, about 4.5 mm (0.2 in) long, covered with short, soft hairs with a swelling beneath each sepal. The sepals are white to pale or deep pink, 5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long, spreading with 5 to 7 lobes which have long, spreading hairs. The petals are egg-shaped to almost round, pale to deep pink, 3–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long and spreading, edged with short teeth. The style is fairly straight, 2.5–7 mm (0.1–0.3 in) long and glabrous. Flowering mostly occurs from September to November.^[1]

Taxonomy and naming

Verticordia insignis was first formally described by Stephen Endlicher in 1837 and the description was published in Enumeratio plantarum quas in Novae Hollandiae ora austro-occidentali ad fluvium Cygnorum et in sinu Regis Georgii collegit Carolus Liber Baro de Hügel from specimens found near the Swan River by Carl von Huegel.^[2][3]

When Alex George reviewed the genus in 1991, he placed this species in Subgenus Verticordia, Section Catocalypta along with V. roei, V. apecta, V. inclusa, V. habrantha, V. lehmannii and V. pritzelii.^[4]

In the same review, George described three subspecies of V. insignis:

• Verticordia insignis Endl. subsp. insignis which has white sepals, a style which is 5–6 mm (0.2–0.2 in) long, petals 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long, stamens 3.5–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long and upper leaves mostly 4–9 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long;^[1][5]
• Verticordia insignis subsp. compta A.S.George which is similar to subsp. insignis but has pink sepals, shorter stamens (2–3.5 mm (0.08–0.1 in)), and much shorter styles (2.5–3.5 mm (0.098–0.14 in)) and shorter upper leaves (1.5–3 mm (0.06–0.1 in))^[1][6]
• Verticordia insignis subsp. eomagis A.S.George which has longer sepals (7–9 mm (0.3–0.4 in)), slightly longer petals (3.5–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in)), longer stamens (5–6 mm (0.2–0.2 in)) and a longer style (6–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in)) than the other two subspecies.^[1][7]

The specific epithet (insignis) is a Latin word meaning "remarkable", "notable" or "eminent".^[1][8]

Distribution and habitat

This verticordia often grows in association with other species of verticordia in grey or yellow sand near rocks in heath and woodland. It occurs along the Darling Scarp and inland as far as Northam and Brookton^[1] in the Avon Wheatbelt, Coolgardie, Jarrah Forest, Mallee, Geraldton Sandplains and Swan Coastal Plain biogeographic regions.^[9][10]

Conservation

The two subspecies insignis^[11] and compta^[12] are classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife but subspecies eomagis is classified as "Priority Three"^[13] meaning that it is poorly known and known from only a few locations but is not under imminent threat.^[14]

Use in horticulture

This verticordia has horticultural potential because of its flowers (described as "outstandingly beautiful, resembling miniature powder puffs"). It has been propagated from cuttings but establishing them in the garden has been difficult.^[1]

Gallery

• 
  Adam Forster painting

References

1. Elizabeth A. (Berndt) George; Margaret Pieroni (illustrator) (2002). Verticordia: the turner of hearts (1st ed.). Crawley, Western Australia: University of Western Australia Press. pp. 274–279. ISBN 1-876268-46-8.
2. "Verticordia insignis". APNI. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
3. Endlicher, Stephan (1837). Enumeratio plantarum quas in Novae Hollandiae ora austro-occidentali ad fluvium Cygnorum et in Sinu Regis Georgii collegit Carolus liber baro de Hugel. Vienna. p. 47. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
4. George, Alex (1991). "New taxa, combinations and typifications in Verticordia (Myrtaceae : Chamelaucieae)". Nuytsia. 7 (3): 231–394.
5. "Verticordia insignis insignis". APNI. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
6. "Verticordia insignis compta". Retrieved 21 June 2016.
7. "Verticordia insignis eomagis". APNI. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
8. Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles. "insignis". A Latin Dictionary. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
9. "Verticordia insignis". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
10. Paczkowska, Grazyna; Chapman, Alex R. (2000). The Western Australian flora : a descriptive catalogue. Perth: Wildflower Society of Western Australia. p. 408. ISBN 0646402439.
11. "Verticordia insignis insignis". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
12. "Verticordia insignis compta". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
13. "Verticordia insignis eomages". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
14. "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 21 June 2016.