Lechenaultia macrantha
Encyclopedia
Lechenaultia macrantha is a species of low growing plant found on sandy or gravelly soils in Western Australia
.
The species, when viewed from above, has a wreath
-like form during its flowering period around August to November. The prostrate habit of Lechenaultia macrantha is between fifty and one hundred and fifty millimetres in height and spreading out to one metre. The branches are fleshy, the leaves are narrow, linear, and up to forty millimetres in length. The large yellow, pink, red flowers are arranged at the terminus of branches in a ring. The diameter of the five petals is between thirty and thirty five millimetres.
The distribution of the species is the Geraldton Sandplains
and Avon Wheatbelt
regions in the southwest of the state, extending inland to the Eremaean Botanical Province.
Lechenaultia macrantha is placed in the family Goodeniaceae
, nearly all of which are found in Australia's arid regions.
The species was first described, by Kurt Krause in 1912, using the synonymous genus name Leschenaultia, names that commemorate Jean Baptiste Leschenault de la Tour
. Lechenaultia macrantha is given an epithet derived from Greek
that refers to its large flower. A common name
for the plant is Wreath lechenaultia.
The plant is cultivated as an ornamental, most easily by propagation of cuttings.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
.
The species, when viewed from above, has a wreath
Wreath
A wreath is an assortment of flowers, leaves, fruits, twigs and/or various materials that is constructed to resemble a ring. They are used typically as Christmas decorations to symbolize the coming of Christ, also known as the Advent season in Christianity. They are also used as festive headdresses...
-like form during its flowering period around August to November. The prostrate habit of Lechenaultia macrantha is between fifty and one hundred and fifty millimetres in height and spreading out to one metre. The branches are fleshy, the leaves are narrow, linear, and up to forty millimetres in length. The large yellow, pink, red flowers are arranged at the terminus of branches in a ring. The diameter of the five petals is between thirty and thirty five millimetres.
The distribution of the species is the Geraldton Sandplains
Geraldton Sandplains
Geraldton Sandplains is an Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia region in Western Australia and part of the larger Southwest Australia savanna ecoregion.It has two sub regions: -* Geraldton Hills sub region* Lesuer sub region...
and Avon Wheatbelt
Avon Wheatbelt
Avon Wheatbelt is an Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia region in Western Australia and part of the larger Southwest Australia savanna ecoregion.-Further reading:...
regions in the southwest of the state, extending inland to the Eremaean Botanical Province.
Lechenaultia macrantha is placed in the family Goodeniaceae
Goodeniaceae
Goodeniaceae are a family of flowering plants in the order Asterales. It contains about 404 species in twelve genera. The family is distributed mostly in Australia, except for the genus Scaevola, which is pantropical...
, nearly all of which are found in Australia's arid regions.
The species was first described, by Kurt Krause in 1912, using the synonymous genus name Leschenaultia, names that commemorate Jean Baptiste Leschenault de la Tour
Jean Baptiste Leschenault de la Tour
Jean Baptiste Louis Claude Theodore Leschenault de la Tour was a French botanist and ornithologist.Leschenault de la Tour was chief botanist on Nicolas Baudin's expedition to Australia between 1800 and 1803...
. Lechenaultia macrantha is given an epithet derived from Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
that refers to its large flower. A common name
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
for the plant is Wreath lechenaultia.
The plant is cultivated as an ornamental, most easily by propagation of cuttings.