Verticordia picta
Encyclopedia
Verticordia picta is a small to medium sized shrub with pink and cupped flowers that are sweetly scented. The species has been given the common name of Painted featherflower and China cups. It is in found in a variety of forms, in diverse habitats, and is widespread throughout Southwest Australia
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The habit of the shrub varies as low-growing to a taller form, 0.15 to 1.3 metres in height and width, the single main stem is no more than moderately branched. It does not possess a lignotuber, distinguishing it from the similar species Verticordia rennieana, although its habit of branching near ground level may give this appearance. The small flowers are arranged in corymbose or roundish groups. The petal, 4.5–8 millimetres long, is concave, upright or spreading, and may be shades of pink to purple. The sepal is finely divided, fringed in appearance, and usually paler in colour than the petal; both may be white in some forms. The flowering period is from the end of July until November, this extends into December in some areas. The leaves are between 4–12 mm long, narrow, pointed or hooked at the tip, and partly rounded in outline.
The distribution range extends from coastal regions south of Kalbarri National Park
, throughout the Avon Wheatbelt
, and into arid regions west of Kalgoorlie. It is also found to the south of Fremantle
on the Swan Coastal Plain
. The diverse forms of Verticordia picta occupy a wide range of habitat, on hills or winter-wet areas, in a variety of soil types. It is frequently associated with other verticordias, in heath and shrublands, or in open eucalypt woodland.
It was amongst the earliest species of Verticordia
to be described, by Stephen Endlicher in 1838, using a collection that was gathered by John Septimus Roe
at an unknown location. The author may have given it the epithet picta, from the Latin for painted, for the dapples that appear on the petals of dried specimens. The synonym
Verticordia petandra results from Turczaninow
's 1847 description of the same species.
Cultivation of this species is uncommon, being sometimes difficult to propagate. Once established it will live for around ten years as a small shrub with a profuse display of flowers over a long season. It prefers the mediterranean climate of Western Australia, but it has been successfully grown in New South wales
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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...
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The habit of the shrub varies as low-growing to a taller form, 0.15 to 1.3 metres in height and width, the single main stem is no more than moderately branched. It does not possess a lignotuber, distinguishing it from the similar species Verticordia rennieana, although its habit of branching near ground level may give this appearance. The small flowers are arranged in corymbose or roundish groups. The petal, 4.5–8 millimetres long, is concave, upright or spreading, and may be shades of pink to purple. The sepal is finely divided, fringed in appearance, and usually paler in colour than the petal; both may be white in some forms. The flowering period is from the end of July until November, this extends into December in some areas. The leaves are between 4–12 mm long, narrow, pointed or hooked at the tip, and partly rounded in outline.
The distribution range extends from coastal regions south of Kalbarri National Park
Kalbarri National Park
Kalbarri National Park is located north of Perth. The major geographical features of the park include the Murchison River gorge which runs for nearly 80 kilometres on the lower reaches of the Murchison River...
, throughout the Avon Wheatbelt
Avon Wheatbelt
Avon Wheatbelt is an Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia region in Western Australia and part of the larger Southwest Australia savanna ecoregion.-Further reading:...
, and into arid regions west of Kalgoorlie. It is also found to the south of Fremantle
Fremantle, Western Australia
Fremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...
on 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...
. The diverse forms of Verticordia picta occupy a wide range of habitat, on hills or winter-wet areas, in a variety of soil types. It is frequently associated with other verticordias, in heath and shrublands, or in open eucalypt woodland.
It was amongst the earliest species of Verticordia
Verticordia
Verticordia, a genus of the Myrtaceae family, are woody shrubs with small and exquisite flowers. They are mostly found in Southwest Australia, with several outlier species in northern regions. A revision of the genus in 1991 produced a classification within Verticordia of 3 subgenera, 24 sections,...
to be described, by Stephen Endlicher in 1838, using a collection that was gathered by John Septimus Roe
John Septimus Roe
John Septimus Roe was the first Surveyor-General of Western Australia. He was a renowned explorer, and a Member of Western Australia's Legislative and Executive Councils for nearly 40 years.-Early life:...
at an unknown location. The author may have given it the epithet picta, from the Latin for painted, for the dapples that appear on the petals of dried specimens. The synonym
Synonym (taxonomy)
In scientific nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that is or was used for a taxon of organisms that also goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linnaeus was the first to give a scientific name to the Norway spruce, which he called Pinus abies...
Verticordia petandra results from Turczaninow
Nicolai Stepanovitch Turczaninow
Porphir Kiril Nicolai Stepanowitsch Turczaninow was a Ukrainian-Russian botanist who first identified several genera, and many species of plants...
's 1847 description of the same species.
Cultivation of this species is uncommon, being sometimes difficult to propagate. Once established it will live for around ten years as a small shrub with a profuse display of flowers over a long season. It prefers the mediterranean climate of Western Australia, but it has been successfully grown in New South wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
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