Conospermum ephedroides
Conospermum ephedroides is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a tufted shrub with many stems, a few cylindrical leaves at the base of the plant, and sessile spikes of glabrous white, pale pink or blue, tube-shaped flowers and reddish-brown to orange nuts.
Description
Conospermum ephedroides is a tufted shrub that typically grows up to tall and has many stems. There are a few cylindrical leaves long and wide at the base of the plant. The flowers are arranged in sessile spikes along leafless branches with egg-shaped, bluish-green bracteoles long and wide. The perianth is glabrous, white, pale pink or blue, forming a tube long. The upper lip is egg-shaped, long and wide, the lower lip joined for with lobes long. Flowering occurs from August to October, and the fruit is a reddish-brown to orange nut long and wide.
Taxonomy
Conospermum ephedroides was first formally described in 1855 by Carl Meissner in Hooker's Journal of Botany and Kew Garden Miscellany, from an unpublished description by Richard Kippist. The specific epithet means 'Ephedra-like'.
Distribution and habitat
This species of Conospermum grows in sand, lateritic loam and gravel between Wongan Hills and Newdegate in the Avon Wheatbelt, Jarrah Forest and Mallee bioregions of south-western Western Australia.
Conservation status
This species of Conospermum is listed as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.