Verticordia aurea
Encyclopedia
Verticordia aurea is a woody shrub found in Western Australia
, referred to by the common name Buttercups. The profusion of flowers are a rich yellow or orange, presented on the corymbosely formed upper branches of the shrub, at a height between 0.6 and 1.5 metres. The flowering period is from September to December, which, with its associates, make a striking display of dappled colour across heaths and plains.
It is found on deep sand and sandplains in the Geraldton Sandplains
and the Swan Coastal Plain
region of Southwest Australia
, the soil type may be grey to black or yellow sands. This verticordia does not possess a lignotuber
, has a single basal stem, and maybe slender and sparse or bushy in its form. It is found growing in woodland, alongside Eucalyptus todtiana
, Banksia menziesii
and Xylomelum angustifolium
, and shrub or heathlands with other members of its genus. The species is closely allied to Verticordia nitens
and V. patens
, the three members of Verticordia sect. Chrysorhoe
, from which it is most easily distinguished by its larger, more deeply yellow or golden flowers.
The first description was by Alex George
in 1991.
The state's Department of Environment and Conservation identifies this species as rare and currently secure. Some populations in the distribution range may be threatened.
), previously Euhesma aureophila, which feeds on nectar, pollen, and the oil released from the anthers.
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...
, referred to by the common name Buttercups. The profusion of flowers are a rich yellow or orange, presented on the corymbosely formed upper branches of the shrub, at a height between 0.6 and 1.5 metres. The flowering period is from September to December, which, with its associates, make a striking display of dappled colour across heaths and plains.
It is found on deep sand and sandplains in the Geraldton Sandplains
Geraldton 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...
and the Swan Coastal Plain
Swan Coastal Plain
The Swan Coastal Plain in Western Australia is the geographic feature which contains the Swan River as it travels west to the Indian Ocean. The coastal plain continues well beyond the boundaries of the Swan River and its tributaries, as a geological and biological zone, one of Western Australia's...
region of 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...
, the soil type may be grey to black or yellow sands. This verticordia does not 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...
, has a single basal stem, and maybe slender and sparse or bushy in its form. It is found growing in woodland, alongside Eucalyptus todtiana
Eucalyptus todtiana
Eucalyptus todtiana is a species of tree native to south-western Australia.Common names include Blackbutt, Coastal Blackbutt and Pricklybark.-Description:E. todtiana grows to about 15 metres...
, Banksia menziesii
Banksia menziesii
Banksia menziesii, commonly known as firewood banksia, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Banksia. It is a gnarled tree up to 10 m tall, or a lower spreading 1–3 m shrub in the more northern parts of its range. The serrated leaves are dull green with new growth a paler grey...
and Xylomelum angustifolium
Xylomelum angustifolium
Xylomelum angustifolium is a tree species in the family Proteaceae, endemic to Western Australia. A mature Xylomelum angustifolium grows from 2 to 7 metres though trees up to 10m have been observed. Produces cream flowers between December and February though flowering can commence as early as...
, and shrub or heathlands with other members of its genus. The species is closely allied to Verticordia nitens
Verticordia nitens
Verticordia nitens is an upright shrub, 0.45 to 1.8 metres tall, with glistening and perfumed flower heads that appear between October and February in Southwest Australia...
and V. patens
Verticordia patens
Verticordia patens is a slender woody shrub found in Western Australia. It is between 200 - 1300 mm tall and has yellow and green flowers, held out in rounded bunches. It was first described in The Western Australian Naturalist by Alexander George, from a collection he made at Moore River,...
, the three members of Verticordia sect. Chrysorhoe
Verticordia sect. Chrysorhoe
Verticordia sect. Chrysorhoe is a section of Verticordia that describes a group of four shrub species. The section is contained by a subgenus, Verticordia subg. Chrysoma, in Alex George's 1991 revision of the genus. The sections name, which may refer to the flowers, is derived from Greek, chryso-...
, from which it is most easily distinguished by its larger, more deeply yellow or golden flowers.
The first description was by Alex George
Alex George
Alexander Segger George is a Western Australian botanist. He is the authority on the plant genera Banksia and Dryandra...
in 1991.
The state's Department of Environment and Conservation identifies this species as rare and currently secure. Some populations in the distribution range may be threatened.
Ecology
The flowers are not attractive to typical insect pollinators, except for a single species of solitary bee Euryglossa aureophila (ColletidaeColletidae
Colletidae is a family of bees, and are often referred to collectively as plasterer bees or polyester bees, due to the method of smoothing the walls of their nest cells with secretions applied with their mouthparts; these secretions dry into a cellophane-like lining...
), previously Euhesma aureophila, which feeds on nectar, pollen, and the oil released from the anthers.