Adenanthos × pamela
Encyclopedia
Adenanthos × pamela is a naturally occurring hybrid of A. detmoldii
and A. obovatus
. A bushy shrub intermediate between its parents in habit, leaf shape and flower colour, it is known only from road verges in the Scott River
area, where its parent species co-occur. Despite its hybrid origin, it is fertile.
This hybrid was first recognised in 1979, but it was not formally described and published until 1986. It is considered an attractive shrub with significant horticultural potential.
.
: the pollen is reported to be less than 50% fertile, yet plants bore plenty of seed when inspected in December 1984. This raises the possibility of the establishment of a hybrid swarm
.
The existence of this hybrid was first reported by Greg Keighery in 1979, but Keighery did not publish a binomial for it. The subsequent discovery of it in such large numbers, together with its recognised horticultural potential, prompted Ernest Charles Nelson
to formally describe and name it in 1986. Nelson chose the epithet pamela in honour of his friend Pamela Sanderson, an amateur botanist active in the Albany Wildflower Society, in whose company he visited the area to collect specimens in 1984.
As a hybrid between two members of Adenanthos sect. Eurylaema
, A. × pamela is itself placed in that section. No attempt was made to represent its hybrid parentage in the taxonomic sequence
given in Nelson's 1995 taxonomic arrangement of Adenanthos
; it was simply placed at the end of the section. Thus its placement in that arrangement may be summarised as follows:
areas, where the parent species co-occur, and has only been found growing with both parents. It is known only from about twenty scattered individuals growing on road verges, particularly Governor Broome Road, east of Scott River National Park.
Adenanthos detmoldii
Adenanthos detmoldii, commonly known as Scott River Jugflower or Yellow Jugflower, is a species of shrub in the family Proteaceae. It is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia.-Description:...
and A. obovatus
Adenanthos obovatus
Adenanthos obovatus, commonly known as basket flower or jugflower, is a shrub of the Proteaceae family endemic to Southwest Australia. Described by French naturalist Jacques Labillardière in 1805, it had been first collected by Archibald Menzies in 1791...
. A bushy shrub intermediate between its parents in habit, leaf shape and flower colour, it is known only from road verges in the Scott River
Scott River
The Scott River is a river in Siskiyou County, California, United States. It is a tributary of the Klamath River, one of the largest rivers in California....
area, where its parent species co-occur. Despite its hybrid origin, it is fertile.
This hybrid was first recognised in 1979, but it was not formally described and published until 1986. It is considered an attractive shrub with significant horticultural potential.
Description
Morphologically, A. × pamela is intermediate between its two parent species. It grows as a bushy shrub about 1.5 m (5 ft) in height, roughly twice the height of the compact A. obovata, but shorter than the tall, lanky A. detmoldii. Leaf shape is also intermediate between the short obovate leaves of A. obovata, and the longer lanceolate leaves of A. detmoldii; and flowers are orange or light red, again intermediate between the yellow to orange of A. detmoldii and the scarlet of A obovata. Like A. obovata, A. × pamela possesses a lignotuberLignotuber
A lignotuber is a starchy swelling of the root crown possessed by some plants as a protection against destruction of the plant stem by fire. The crown contains buds from which new stems may sprout, and a sufficient store of nutrients to support a period of growth in the absence of...
.
Systematics
Of the six putative Adenanthos hydrids reported to date, this is the only one known from more than one or two plants. Over twenty individuals have been seen. Moreover the species is fertileFertility
Fertility is the natural capability of producing offsprings. As a measure, "fertility rate" is the number of children born per couple, person or population. Fertility differs from fecundity, which is defined as the potential for reproduction...
: the pollen is reported to be less than 50% fertile, yet plants bore plenty of seed when inspected in December 1984. This raises the possibility of the establishment of a hybrid swarm
Hybrid swarm
A hybrid swarm is a population of hybrids that has survived beyond the initial hybrid generation, with interbreeding between hybrid individuals and backcrossing with its parent types. Such population are highly variable, with the genetic and phenetic characteristics of individuals ranging widely...
.
The existence of this hybrid was first reported by Greg Keighery in 1979, but Keighery did not publish a binomial for it. The subsequent discovery of it in such large numbers, together with its recognised horticultural potential, prompted Ernest Charles Nelson
Ernest Charles Nelson
Ernest Charles Nelson is a botanist who specialises in the Proteaceae family, especially the Adenanthos genus; and the Ericaceae, especially Erica. He is the author of over 20 books and more than 150 research papers...
to formally describe and name it in 1986. Nelson chose the epithet pamela in honour of his friend Pamela Sanderson, an amateur botanist active in the Albany Wildflower Society, in whose company he visited the area to collect specimens in 1984.
As a hybrid between two members of Adenanthos sect. Eurylaema
Adenanthos sect. Eurylaema
Adenanthos sect. Eurylaema is a taxonomic section of the flowering plant genus Adenanthos . It comprises four species, all of which are endemic to southwest Western Australia.-Description:...
, A. × pamela is itself placed in that section. No attempt was made to represent its hybrid parentage in the taxonomic sequence
Taxonomic sequence
Taxonomic sequence is a sequence followed in listing of taxa which aids ease of use and roughly reflects the evolutionary relationships among the taxa...
given in Nelson's 1995 taxonomic arrangement of Adenanthos
Nelson's taxonomic arrangement of Adenanthos
Ernest Charles Nelson's taxonomic arrangement of Adenanthos was the first modern-day arrangement of that plant genus. First published in his 1978 Brunonia article "A taxonomic revision of the genus Adenanthos ", it superseded the arrangement of George Bentham, which had stood for over a hundred years...
; it was simply placed at the end of the section. Thus its placement in that arrangement may be summarised as follows:
- AdenanthosAdenanthosAdenanthos is an genus of Australian native shrubs in the flowering plant family Proteaceae. Variable in habit and leaf shape, it is the only Proteaceae genus in which solitary flowers is the norm. It was discovered in 1791, and formally published by Jacques Labillardière in 1805. There are now 33...
- A. sect. EurylaemaAdenanthos sect. EurylaemaAdenanthos sect. Eurylaema is a taxonomic section of the flowering plant genus Adenanthos . It comprises four species, all of which are endemic to southwest Western Australia.-Description:...
- A. detmoldiiAdenanthos detmoldiiAdenanthos detmoldii, commonly known as Scott River Jugflower or Yellow Jugflower, is a species of shrub in the family Proteaceae. It is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia.-Description:...
- A. barbigerAdenanthos barbigerAdenanthos barbiger is a species of shrub in the family Proteaceae. It is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It usually grows to 1 metre high, and has bright red flowers that appear mostly between August and December...
- A. obovatusAdenanthos obovatusAdenanthos obovatus, commonly known as basket flower or jugflower, is a shrub of the Proteaceae family endemic to Southwest Australia. Described by French naturalist Jacques Labillardière in 1805, it had been first collected by Archibald Menzies in 1791...
- A. × pamela
- A. detmoldii
- A. sect. AdenanthosAdenanthos sect. AdenanthosAdenanthos sect. Adenanthos is a taxonomic section of the flowering plant genus Adenanthos . It comprises 29 species. The centre of diversity is southwest Western Australia, with two species extending into South Australia and western Victoria.-Description:The section is characterised by flowers in...
(29 species, 8 subspecies)
- A. sect. Eurylaema
Distribution and habitat
Adenanthos × pamela is restricted to the Scott RiverScott River
The Scott River is a river in Siskiyou County, California, United States. It is a tributary of the Klamath River, one of the largest rivers in California....
areas, where the parent species co-occur, and has only been found growing with both parents. It is known only from about twenty scattered individuals growing on road verges, particularly Governor Broome Road, east of Scott River National Park.