Calytrix depressa


Calytrix depressa is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a glabrous shrub with linear to lance-shaped leaves and mauve to violet or yellow flowers with 35 to 75 stamens in several rows.

Description

Calytrix depressa is a glabrous shrub that typically grows to a height of up to, sometimes up to. Its leaves are usually linear to lance-shaped, long, wide, often flattened near the base, and sessile or on a petiole up to long. The flowers are borne on a peduncle long with bracteoles long but fall off as the flowers open. The floral tube is long and has 10 ribs. The sepals are joined for a short distance at the base, the lobes round to egg-shaped, long and wide with an awn up to long. The petals are either mauve to violet and yellow near the base, becoming pinkish to reddish purple as they age, or yellow and not aging to reddish, long and wide. There are about 35 to 75 yellow stamens long, sometimes becoming reddish-purple as they age, or else remaining yellow. Flowering usually occurs from September to November.

Taxonomy

This species was first formally described in 1847 by Nikolai Turczaninow who gave it the name Calycothrix depressa in the Bulletin de la Société impériale des naturalistes de Moscou, from specimens collected by James Drummond. In 1867, George Bentham transferred the species to the genus Calytrix as C. depressa in his Flora Australiensis. The specific epithet means 'pressed down', referring to the low habit.

Distribution and habitat

Calytrix depressa is found from near Kalbarri to the Darling Range near Perth, and from Perth eastwards to near Bonnie Rock, between Bremer Bay and Hopetoun, with an isolated population near Kalgoorlie. It grows on granite outcrops, hills in heath on sand and in forest in the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains, Geraldton Sandplains, Jarrah Forest, Mallee, Murchison, Swan Coastal Plain and Yalgoo bioregions of south-western Western Australia.

Use in horticulture

This species requires a moist but well-drained position, with filtered sunlight.
The species may be propagated from cuttings or seed, the latter resulting in stronger plants although difficult to germinate. Plants may sometimes be affected by root rot in hot, humid climates, or scale.