Franklandia
Encyclopedia
Franklandia is a genus of small shrub
s in family Proteaceae
, referred to as the Lanoline Bushes. It is endemic to Southwest Australia
.
Franklandia are heathland shrubs found on white or grey sands. They possess a lignotuber
, allowing them to recover from bushfire. Several erect branches emerge from an upright stem. The flowers are medium to large and composed of four parts, the colour of which may by creamy, white, golden or red. The appearance of the outer parts is petal-like. Several of these are arranged in raceme
s on an elongated scape
. The anthers are found within the floral tube, distinguishing the genus from many other Proteaceae. The foliage is fleshy or leathery, glabrous, large, bluish green leaves whose structure is narrow and tapering, it repeatedly bifurcates at the tip. The cavities of the leaves give a rough appearance.
A description of Franklandia fucifolia was published in Robert Brown
's 1810 paper On the Proteaceae of Jussieu, naming the genus after the botanist Thomas Frankland. Brown collected flowering specimens and seeds "In moist heaths near the shores" of King George Sound
in 1801. The distribution of the species is recorded in the southern regions of the botanical province, along the coast to the eastern Esperance Plains
. This species is sometimes found on sand over laterite
. The height is between 300 mm to 1.3 metres. The long flowering period is from January to October.
A second species, Franklandia triaristata, was described by George Bentham
in 1870. This is a rarer population, recorded in a smaller distribution range at the southwest corner of the state. A smaller shrub than F. triaristata, up to one metre in height, the shorter flowering period is from August to October.
Both species are known by the common name
lanolin bush.
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
s in family Proteaceae
Proteaceae
Proteaceae is a family of flowering plants distributed in the Southern Hemisphere. The family comprises about 80 genera with about 1600 species. Together with the Platanaceae and Nelumbonaceae they make up the order Proteales. Well known genera include Protea, Banksia, Embothrium, Grevillea,...
, referred to as the Lanoline Bushes. It is endemic to Southwest Australia
Southwest Australia
Southwest Australia is a biodiversity hotspot that includes the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub ecoregions of Western Australia. The region has a wet-winter, dry-summer Mediterranean climate, one of five such regions in the world...
.
Franklandia are heathland shrubs found on white or grey sands. They possess a lignotuber
Lignotuber
A lignotuber is a starchy swelling of the root crown possessed by some plants as a protection against destruction of the plant stem by fire. The crown contains buds from which new stems may sprout, and a sufficient store of nutrients to support a period of growth in the absence of...
, allowing them to recover from bushfire. Several erect branches emerge from an upright stem. The flowers are medium to large and composed of four parts, the colour of which may by creamy, white, golden or red. The appearance of the outer parts is petal-like. Several of these are arranged in raceme
Raceme
A raceme is a type of inflorescence that is unbranched and indeterminate and bears pedicellate flowers — flowers having short floral stalks called pedicels — along the axis. In botany, axis means a shoot, in this case one bearing the flowers. In a raceme, the oldest flowers are borne...
s on an elongated scape
Scape (botany)
In botany, scapes are leafless flowering stems that rise from the ground. Scapes can have a single flower or many flowers, depending on the species....
. The anthers are found within the floral tube, distinguishing the genus from many other Proteaceae. The foliage is fleshy or leathery, glabrous, large, bluish green leaves whose structure is narrow and tapering, it repeatedly bifurcates at the tip. The cavities of the leaves give a rough appearance.
A description of Franklandia fucifolia was published in Robert Brown
Robert Brown (botanist)
Robert Brown was a Scottish botanist and palaeobotanist who made important contributions to botany largely through his pioneering use of the microscope...
's 1810 paper On the Proteaceae of Jussieu, naming the genus after the botanist Thomas Frankland. Brown collected flowering specimens and seeds "In moist heaths near the shores" of King George Sound
King George Sound
King George Sound is the name of a sound on the south coast of Western Australia. Located at , it is the site of the city of Albany.The sound covers an area of and varies in depth from to ....
in 1801. The distribution of the species is recorded in the southern regions of the botanical province, along the coast to the eastern 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...
. This species is sometimes found on sand over laterite
Laterite
Laterites are soil types rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Nearly all laterites are rusty-red because of iron oxides. They develop by intensive and long-lasting weathering of the underlying parent rock...
. The height is between 300 mm to 1.3 metres. The long flowering period is from January to October.
A second species, Franklandia triaristata, was described by George Bentham
George Bentham
George Bentham CMG FRS was an English botanist, characterized by Duane Isely as "the premier systematic botanist of the nineteenth century".- Formative years :...
in 1870. This is a rarer population, recorded in a smaller distribution range at the southwest corner of the state. A smaller shrub than F. triaristata, up to one metre in height, the shorter flowering period is from August to October.
Both species are known by the common name
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
lanolin bush.