Botanical art
Prior names
Correa affinis
Didimeria aemula
Common names
Hairy Correa
Etymology
Correa named after Jose Francisco Correa de Serra (1751-1823), a Portuguese botanist. Aemula from the Latin 'aemulus' meaning like; referring to the similarity of this species to other Correa.
Distribution and status
Found in the southern Mount Lofty Ranges and on Kangaroo Island in South Australia, growing on sandy or rocky soils in open forests and heathy woodland. Also found in Victoria. Native. Rare in South Australia. Rare in Victoria.
Herbarium regions: Murray, Southern Lofty, Kangaroo Island
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Erect to spreading shrub to 2 m high and 2 m wide with densely hairy stems. Leaves thin, orbicular or ovate to ovate-lanceolate to 4 cm long and 2.5 cm wide, apex acute to slightly rounded, surfaces sparsely to moderately hairy. Inflorescence solitary (rarely 2), axillary or terminal with hanging tubular, green or green-grey (darkening to mauve-purple with age) flowers. Flowering between September and December. Fruits are brown capsule to 8 mm long, enclose by the sepals Seeds are dark brown reinform-oblong seed to 5 mm long and 2 mm wide, with a smooth surface. Seed embryo type is linear fully developed.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between January and February. Collect mature capsules, those that are turning a pale straw colour and contain hard seeds, either by hands or place small breathable bags over immature capsules to collect seed. Capsules maybe hard to see as it is enclose by the sepals. Place the capsules in a tray and leave to dry for a weeks. Then rub the capsules gently by hand to dislodge the seeds. Be very careful as the seed coat is thin and easily damaged. Use a sieve to separate the unwanted material. Store the seeds with a desiccant such as dried silica beads or dry rice, in an air tight container in a cool and dry place. From one collection, the seed viability was high, at 100%. This species has morphophysiological dormancy and can be difficult to germinate.
Location | No. of seeds (weight grams) | Number of plants | Date collected | Collection number Collection location | Date stored | % Viability | Storage temperature |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BGA MSB | 1,400 (7.47 g) 1,400 (7.47 g) | 60+ | 18-Jan-2006 | DJD349 Southern Lofty | 8-Aug-2006 | 100% | -18°C |
BGA | 163 | 40+ | 26-Jan-2007 | KHB71 Northern Lofty | 1-Aug-2007 | 40% | -18°C |
BGA | 330 (2 g) | 22-Dec-2008 | DJD1414 Southern Lofty | 1-Jan-2012 | 20% | -18°C |