Alyogyne huegelii
Encyclopedia
Alyogyne huegelii is a flowering plant found in the Southwest botanical province of Western Australia
, extending along its entire coastline.
A large flowered shrub, the species favours the sands of coastal shrublands and heath. The large flower, highly variable in colour, is similar to that of Hibiscus
. It was previously placed in that genus, and is commonly named Lilac Hibiscus. It is widely cultivated as a flowering plant for the garden, the varieties and cultivars previously published are no longer formally recognised.
The flowers have five luminous petals up to 70 mm long, these are overlapping and have slight ridges. The colour is cream or mauve, or the lilac of the name by which it is traded. The staminal tube structure contains numerous whorled anthers, these are yellow. The five styles of this are fused until the tip, which is composed of swollen and apparently divided stigma. This is supported on a five-lobed calyx, within an arrangement of up to 10 partly fused bracts.
As with all the Malvales
, the flowers last around a day - becoming deeply coloured and papery when spent. They are numerous in the long flowering period between June and January.
(Baron von Huegel). The Alyogyne
genus has since been revised and the varieties, such as Hibiscus huegelii var. leptochlamys (mauve) and Hibiscus huegelii var. wrayae (white) are no longer classed as subspecies or cultivars. Paul Fryxell, in the journal "Australian Plants" (1966), described the species as one of two in a uniquely Australian genus. Along with Hibiscus hakeifolia, it was transferred in 1968 to one of four Alyogyne species. Later revisions to FloraBase
have included new species and previous classification of Alyogyne huegelii is being reordered within the genus. The following varieties are unpublished, though current;
to the Esperance Plains
, predominantly those of the north and south mallee shrubland and heath. A wide range of habitat includes that on sands, limestone and clay, and granite, where it extends to the Coolgardie
region. The distribution of the Alyogyne species in South Australia is likely to be that of another species.
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A large number of variants in the species have been cultivated, the colours of white, cream, purple. lilac, mauve, and the somewhat erroneous blue are traded as varieties or cultivars. The natural variance of leaf form has also been exploited in the selection of plants for the market, fine or dissected leaves may have been hybridized with Alyogyne hakeifolia
. The former name of Hibiscus huegelii, along with other synonyms, are still given in some sources.
Propagation is successful by cuttings, well drained soil, avoidance of frosts and the usual caution regarding phosphorus and species from the region is recommended. The sparse lower branching habit of the species, and inducement to a desirable habit, is achieved by heavy pruning after flowering.
The species was grown in English greenhouses during the nineteenth century and is now grown in temperate climes of the United States of America and Europe.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, extending along its entire coastline.
A large flowered shrub, the species favours the sands of coastal shrublands and heath. The large flower, highly variable in colour, is similar to that of Hibiscus
Hibiscus
Hibiscus is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is quite large, containing several hundred species that are native to warm-temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world...
. It was previously placed in that genus, and is commonly named Lilac Hibiscus. It is widely cultivated as a flowering plant for the garden, the varieties and cultivars previously published are no longer formally recognised.
Description
Shrub to four metres with many alternate branches, although lower ones may be sparse. Bright green leaves are divided in three to five in outline; margins are irregular, lobate to toothed; pubescent and strongly veined lobes are coarse in shape. The flowerstalk at the leaf axil is long, tilting at the single flower.The flowers have five luminous petals up to 70 mm long, these are overlapping and have slight ridges. The colour is cream or mauve, or the lilac of the name by which it is traded. The staminal tube structure contains numerous whorled anthers, these are yellow. The five styles of this are fused until the tip, which is composed of swollen and apparently divided stigma. This is supported on a five-lobed calyx, within an arrangement of up to 10 partly fused bracts.
As with all the Malvales
Malvales
Malvales are an order of flowering plants. As circumscribed by APG II-system, it includes about 6000 species within nine families. The order is placed in the eurosids II, which are part of the eudicots....
, the flowers last around a day - becoming deeply coloured and papery when spent. They are numerous in the long flowering period between June and January.
Taxonomy
The species was formerly placed in Hibiscus as Hibiscus huegelii, taking its name from Charles von HügelCharles von Hügel
Charles von Hügel was an Austrian army officer, diplomat, botanist and explorer, now primarily remembered for his travels in northern India during the 1830s...
(Baron von Huegel). The Alyogyne
Alyogyne
Alyogyne is a genus of flowering plants in the family Malvaceae which are endemic to Australia. Its species were formerly in the genus Hibiscus but were split off starting in 1863 with H. hakaeifolius. In 1915 Lewton transferred H. cuneiformis and in Fryxell H. pinonianus and H. huegelii followed...
genus has since been revised and the varieties, such as Hibiscus huegelii var. leptochlamys (mauve) and Hibiscus huegelii var. wrayae (white) are no longer classed as subspecies or cultivars. Paul Fryxell, in the journal "Australian Plants" (1966), described the species as one of two in a uniquely Australian genus. Along with Hibiscus hakeifolia, it was transferred in 1968 to one of four Alyogyne species. Later revisions to FloraBase
FloraBase
FloraBase is a public access web-based database of the flora of Western Australia. It provides authoritative scientific information on 12,978 taxa, including descriptions, maps, images, conservation status and nomenclatural details...
have included new species and previous classification of Alyogyne huegelii is being reordered within the genus. The following varieties are unpublished, though current;
- Alyogyne huegelii var. glabrescens (Benth.) A.S.Mitch. ms
- Alyogyne huegelii var. grossulariifolia (Miq.) A.S.Mitch. ms
- Alyogyne huegelii (Endl.) FryxellPaul FryxellPaul A. Fryxell Paul A. Fryxell Paul A. Fryxell (born 2 February 1927, Moline, Illinois, died July 11, 2011 Claremont, California was an American botanist.He attended Moline public schools and later Augustana College, graduating with a B.A. in 1949, and Iowa State University (M.S., 1951, Ph.D., 1955)...
var. huegelii ms
Distribution
Preference for temperate and sandy coastal plains from GeraldtonGeraldton Sandplains
Geraldton Sandplains is an Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia region in Western Australia and part of the larger Southwest Australia savanna ecoregion.It has two sub regions: -* Geraldton Hills sub region* Lesuer sub region...
to the Esperance Plains
Esperance Plains
Esperance Plains, also known as Eyre Botanical District, is a biogeographic region in southern Western Australia. Located on the south coast between the Avon Wheatbelt and Hampton regions, and bordered to the north by the Mallee region, it is a plain punctuated by granite and quartz outcrops and...
, predominantly those of the north and south mallee shrubland and heath. A wide range of habitat includes that on sands, limestone and clay, and granite, where it extends to the Coolgardie
Coolgardie (biogeographic region)
Coolgardie is an Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia region and a World Wildlife Fund ecoregion consisting of an area of low hills and plains of infertile sandy soil in Western Australia. -Location and description:...
region. The distribution of the Alyogyne species in South Australia is likely to be that of another species.
Cultivation
Alyogyne hakeifolia
Alyogyne hakeifolia is a flowering plant found in southern regions of Australia. The plant is similar to a Hibiscus and was assumed to be part of that genus for many years. It is known to have been cultivated in England since the mid nineteenth century.-Description:An erect shrub, up to three...
. The former name of Hibiscus huegelii, along with other synonyms, are still given in some sources.
Propagation is successful by cuttings, well drained soil, avoidance of frosts and the usual caution regarding phosphorus and species from the region is recommended. The sparse lower branching habit of the species, and inducement to a desirable habit, is achieved by heavy pruning after flowering.
The species was grown in English greenhouses during the nineteenth century and is now grown in temperate climes of the United States of America and Europe.