Thysanotus arbuscula
Thysanotus arbuscula is a species of flowering plant in the Asparagaceae family, and is endemic to an area near Perth in the south-west of Western Australia. It is a perennial herb with a cylindrical rhizome, few linear leaves, leafless stems, and umbels of purple flowers with elliptic, fringed petals, linear sepals, six stamens and a slightly curved style.
Description
Thysanotus arbuscula is a perennial herb with a cylindrical rhizome about in diameter. The leaves are few and produced occasionally, linear and about long. The stems are leafless, long and perennial, several per rhizome, branched close to the ground in young stems and about two-thirds of the length in mature stems. The flowers are borne in umbels of four to six flowers, each on a pedicel long. The flowers are purple, with perianth segments about long, the sepals, about wide, the petals elliptic long with a fringe long. There are six stamens, the style is slightly curved, about long. Flowering occurs from September to December or January.
Taxonomy
Thysanotus arbuscula was first formally described in 1876 by John Gilbert Baker in the Journal of the Linnean Society, Botany from specimens collected by James Drummond near the Swan River. The specific epithet means 'a small tree or shrub', referring to the habit of the species.
Distribution and habitat
This species grows in sand, gravel or laterite in near-coastal areas from north and south-east of Perth in the Avon Wheatbelt, Geraldton Sandplains, Jarrah Forest and Swan Coastal Plain bioregions of south-western Western Australia.
Conservation status
Thysanotus arbuscula is listed as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.