Botanical art
Prior names
Petrophila multisecta
Etymology
Petrophile from the Greek 'petra' meaning rock and 'philos' meaning lover, alluding to the species' rocky habitat. Multisecta from the Latin 'multus' meaning many and 'sectus' meaning divided, referring to the many divided leaves.
Distribution and status
Endemic to South Australia and found only on Kangaroo Island, growing on lateritic or calcareous sands, in sclerophyll woodland and forest. Native. Common in South Australia.
Herbarium region: Kangaroo Island
NRM region: Kangaroo Island
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Small prickly shrub to 0.6 m or more high, with branchlets densely covered in grey hairs and reddish when young. Leaves divided many times; rigid, terete, to 8 cm long; glabrous with pungent tips. Inflorescence consisting of dense ellipsoid cones of yellow flowers in the forks of branchlets. Flowering between October and February. Fruits are greyish brown ellipsoid cone to 4 cm long. Seed embryo type is investing.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between January and December. Collect cones that are matured, turning brown, to ensure mature seed. Be care fully when collecting the cones as the plant is very prickly. Wearing gloves is recommended. Place the cones in a tray and leave to dry for 2 weeks. Then rub the dried heads with a rubber bung to dislodge the fruits. Use a sieve to separate any unwanted material. Seeds are enclosed in the hard fruit and can be stored as is. Store the fruit with a desiccant such as dried silica beads or dry rice, in an air tight container in a cool and dry place. Seeds are non-dormant, viable seed should germinate readily.
Location | No. of seeds (weight grams) | Number of plants | Date collected | Collection number Collection location | Date stored | % Viability | Storage temperature |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MSB | 3,500 (22.05 g) | 100+ | 24-Jan-2007 | DJD754 Kangaroo Island |