Calytrix oldfieldii
Calytrix oldfieldii 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, oblong or egg-shaped leaves and mauve, pink, red, magenta or violet flowers with about 50 to 75 yellow stamens in several rows.
Description
Calytrix oldfieldii is a glabrous shrub that typically grows to a height of. Its leaves are linear, oblong or egg-shaped, long and wide on a petiole long. There are no stipules at the base of the petiole. The flowers are borne on an elliptic or funnel-shaped peduncle long with egg-shaped lobes long. The floral tube is spindle-shaped, long and has 10 ribs. The sepals are fused at the base, with broadly elliptic to egg-shaped lobes long and wide with an awn up to long. The petals are mauve, pink, red, magenta or violet, elliptic to egg-shaped, mostly long and wide, and there are about 50 to 75 yellow stamens in mostly three rows. Flowering mostly occurs from April to November.
Taxonomy
Calytrix oldfieldii was first formally described in 1867 by George Bentham in his Flora Australiensis from specimens collected near the Hutt River by Augustus Oldfield. The specific epithet honours the collector of the type specimens.
Distribution and habitat
This species of Calytrix grows in low, open heath in gravel or sand, or in tall heath with Xylomelum in sandy clay and in winter-wet areas from the Kalbarri district to the Eneabba district, in the Avon Wheatbelt, Geraldton Sandplains and Yalgoo bioregions of south-western Western Australia.
Conservation status
Calytrix oldfieldii is listed as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.