Botanical art
Prior names
Correa sp. aff. calycina J.M.Black
Common names
Deep Creek Correa
Etymology
Correa named after Jose Francisco Correa de Serra (1751-1823), a Portuguese botanist. Eburnea from the Latin 'eburneus' meaning ivory-white; referring to the colour of the lower leaf surface.
Distribution and status
Endemic to South Australia and found on the southern Fleurieu Peninsula, growing on banks of damp creeks. Native. Very rare in South Australia.
Herbarium region: Southern Lofty
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Shrub to 4 m high with slender and rusty-coloured hairy branches, sometimes flexuose towards apex. Leaves elliptic to ovate, entire, mostly to 5 cm long, papery, flat, smooth, sparsely pubescent above when young, glabrous at maturity, minutely hairy beneath, obtuse, rounded to slightly cordate at base. Flowers axillary, with 1-5 nodding, tubular, green flowers. Flowering between October and January. Fruits are brown capsule enclose by the sepals. Seeds are mottled brown ovoid seed to 8 mm long and 3 mm wide, smooth surface. Seed embryo type is linear fully developed.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between January and April. 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 green sepals.
Seeds for this endemic Correa species are being collected and banked in 2017, supported by Natural Resources Adelaide & Mount Lofty Ranges. 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. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSB | 2,000 (15.84 g) | 50+ | 19-Jun-2006 | DJD487 Southern Lofty | |||
| BGA | 360 (2.31 g) | 50+ | 4-May-2017 | JRG579 Southern Lofty | 30-Jun-2018 | 80% | -18°C |
Number of plants: This is the number of plants from which the seeds were collected.
Collection location: The Herbarium of South Australia's region name.
% Viability: Percentage of filled healthy seeds determined by a cut test or x-ray.