Thysanotus parviflorus
Thysanotus parviflorus is a species of flowering plant in the Asparagaceae family, and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a perennial herb with fleshy roots and one or two terete, narrowly linear leaves, umbels of four to six purple flowers with linear sepals, broadly elliptic to circular, fringed petals and six stamens of differing lengths.
Description
Thysanotus parviflorus is a perennial herb with a small rootstock enclosed by bracts and old leaf bases, and has fleshy roots. Its one or two leaves are produced annually, terete, narrowly linear and long. The flowers are borne in an umbel of up to four on a flowering stem long, each flower on a pedicel about long. The flowers are purple, the perianth segments about long. The sepals are linear, about wide and the petals are broadly elliptic to circular, wide with a fringe about long. There are six stamens, the three outer anthers long, the inner ones about long. The style is about long. Flowering occurs in October and November. The seeds are long and in diameter with a stalked, yellow aril about long.
Taxonomy
Thysanotus parviflorus was first formally described in 1972 by Norman Henry Brittan in the Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia from specimens he collected on West Mount Barren in 1960. The specific epithet means 'small-flowered'.
Distribution and habitat
This species of Thysanotus grows in low mallee eucalypt sandplain on the lower slopes of hills in sandy-loam soils in southern coastal Western Australia from West Mount Barren to the Stirling Range.
Conservation status
Thysanotus parviflorus is listed as "Priority Four" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, meaning that is rare or near threatened.