Homoranthus


Homoranthus is a genus of about thirty species of plants in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and all are endemic to Australia. Plants in this genus share similarities with those in both Darwinia and Verticordia. They are shrubs with their leaves arranged in opposite pairs and with flowers appearing either singly or in small groups, usually in upper leaf. They are found in Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia. The genus was first described in 1836. None of the species is common nor are they well-known in horticulture.

Description

Plants in the genus Homoranthus are shrubs with their leaves arranged in opposite pairs, at right angles to the ones above and below so that the leaves are in four rows along the stems. They are linear to cylindrical in shape, sometimes thicker than wide. The flowers are arranged singly or in groups of up to four in the upper leaf axils. There are five sepals and five petals which are enclosed in two bracteoles before the flower opens, and which surround the base of the style. There are ten stamens alternating with ten staminodes. The style extends beyond the petals and has a ring of hairs below its tip. The fruit is a capsule containing one or two seeds.
The Australian botanist Norman Byrnes has noted that Homoranthus "is not a clearly defined natural group but is more a genus of convenience between Darwinia and Verticordia. In 1869, George Bentham wrote "Its retention may, however, be justified as facilitating the distinction between Darwinia and Verticordia".

Taxonomy and naming

The genus Homoranthus was first formally described in 1836 by Johannes Conrad Schauer after an unpublished description by Allan Cunningham. Schauer's description was published in Linnaea: ein Journal für die Botanik in ihrem ganzen Umfange, oder Beiträge zur Pflanzenkunde. The genus name is derived from the Ancient Greek words homos meaning "same", "uniform", "like" or "similar" and anthos meaning "flower".

Species

The following is a list of species accepted by the Australian Plant Census as at January 2020: