Kingdom Plantae Genus Darwinia Order Myrtales | Family Myrtaceae Rank Species | |
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Similar Darwinia, Darwinia collina, Darwinia leiostyla, Darwinia squarrosa, Darwinia carnea | ||
Darwinia virescens, commonly known as the Murchison Darwinia, is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and which is endemic to a small area on the west coast of Western Australia near Geraldton.
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Description
Darwinia virescens grows as a small, prostrate shrub 5–30 cm (2–10 in) high. It has green, yellow and red flowers from August to January.
Taxonomy and naming
It was first described in 1857 by Carl Meissner as Genetyllis virescens in Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society, Botany but in 1867, George Bentham included it in the genus Darwinia. The specific epithet (virescens) is a Latin word meaning "growing green or verdant.
Distribution and habitat
The Murchison Darwinia occurs in the Swan Coastal Plain and Geraldton Sandplains biogeographic regions of Western Australia growing in white or yellow sand in heath.
Conservation status
Darwinia virescens is classified as not threatened.
Ecology
The flowers of Darwinia virescens (and of Darwinia sanguinea) are held at ground level and there is speculation that this suggests that they are pollinated by mammals.