Anthocercis viscosa
Anthocercis viscosa
Anthocercis viscosa is a species of the genus Anthocercis in the nightshade family (Solanaceae ). It is endemic to Western Australia. In English, the type is referred to as "Sticky Tailflower ".
Description
Antocercis viscosa is an erect or sometimes to spreading rampantly growing shrub with a height of up to 3 m. He is hairy with glandular trichomes and sticky. The leaves are obovate to ovate and almost sessile. They are 20 to 30 mm long and 10 to 30 mm wide, the leaf margin is finely serrated, notched.
The inflorescences are stalked cymes from one to three flowers. The flower stems are 5 to 15 mm long. The length of the calyx is 3 to 15 mm, the crown of 20-48 mm. The crown is white to cremé - white in color and equipped with green or purple stripes. The Corolla lobe are ovate - triangular to linear, and 12 to 25 mm long, and they are sometimes streaked pale purple. The stamens are 4,5 up to 12.5 mm long.
The fruit is an ovoid to elliptical capsule that ends pointed or tapered. It is 8 to 19 mm long. The seeds to reach a length of 1.8 to 3 mm.
Dissemination and locations
The species is endemic to the southern Western Australia. It grows along the west coast of Cape Arid. The plants are always to be found in the vicinity of outcrops of granite.
System
Within the species, two subspecies are distinguished:
- Anthocercis viscosa subsp. viscosa
- Anthocercis viscosa subsp. cudata Haegi
The subspecies differ mainly in the size and shape of the flowers. Anthocercis viscosa subsp. viscosa has larger flowers, the Corolla lobe are relatively wider and compared to corolla tube shorter than in Anthocercis viscosa subsp. cudata.
Importance
The species is suspected to cause poisoning in livestock.
Evidence
- R. W. Purdie, D. E. Symon L. Haegi: Antocercis viscosa. In: Solanaceae, Flora of Australia, Volume 29, Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra, 1982, pp. 7-8. . ISBN 0-642-07015-6.