Thryptomene duplicata

Thryptomene duplicata is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a spreading shrub with upward pointing, egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and white flowers with five petals and about fifteen stamens in two whorls.

Description

Thryptomene duplicata is a spreading shrub that typically grows to about high and wide. Its leaves are pointed upwards, overlapping each other and egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, about long and wide on a petiole up to long. The flowers are arranged in pairs or threes on peduncles long with egg-shaped bracteoles about long that persist until the fruit falls. The flowers are about in diameter with egg-shaped sepals about long, with the narrower end towards the base. The petals are white, about long with minute teeth on the edges, and there are about fifteen stamens arranged in two whorls. Flowering occurs around December.

Taxonomy

Thryptomene duplicata was first formally described in 2001 by Barbara Lynette Rye and Malcolm Eric Trudgen in the journal Nuytsia from specimens collected by Trudgen near Binnu in 1993. The specific epithet means "doubled", referring to the number of stamens compared to that of other thryptomenes.

Distribution and habitat

This thryptomene is only known from a single population near Binnu where it grows in sandy soil in open shrubland.

Conservation status

Thryptomene duplicata is classified as "Priority One" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife, meaning that it is known from only one or a few locations that are potentially at risk.