Apophyllum anomalum
| Apophyllum | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Brassicales |
| Family: | Capparaceae |
| Genus: |
Apophyllum F.Muell. |
| Species: | A. anomalum |
| Binomial name | |
|
Apophyllum anomalum F.Muell. |
|
Apophyllum is a genus of plant native to Australia. It contains only one species, which by definition makes the genus a monotypic genus. This single species is called Apophyllum anomalum, commonly called warrior bush or broom bush.
It is widespread in semi-arid areas in Australia and predominant within New South Wales and Queensland. The plant is a shrub 3-5m high with leafless, sometimes drooping in older branches. This speciesleaves are linear to lanceolate 5-15mm long and its flowers are unisexual, blooming either in clusters or single, with 3-4 hairy sepals 2-3mm long and 2-5 petals 2-5mm long and are greenish white to yellow in colour. Male flowers with 8-6 stamens, as long as the petals. Female flowers with 1-3 stamens, ovary on a gymnophore 2-3mm long. Fruits are globous, purple, 5-8mm in diameter. The warrior bush flowers in spring to early summer.
The warrior bush is not usually more than a small bush, however it sometimes develops into a small tree like the specimen, the largest recorded being still only approximately 4 metres high. The young branches and berries are browsed by stock and frequently grazed on by wild goats. When it is flowering during November and December, the warrior bush attracts clouds of black and white migratory caper white butterflies, and their larvae frequently cause much damage. The sight of these butterflies encompassing this harsh shrub is an unusual image for a species which in a sense has no foliage to speak of. The timber of the warrior bush is surprisingly dense and close grained with a very fine medullary ray making this species highly drought resistant. It has also been noted that macropods such as kangaroos and wallabies are commonly associated with the habitat of the warrior bush.
The warrior bush was described by a government botanist by the name of Ferdinand von Mueller around 1855. One of Muller's many achievements was the establishment of the National Herbarium of Victoria. Several years after its establishment in 1853, Mueller describe the Apophyllum anomalum species and introduced it into the National Herbarium of Victoria where 19.8% of the species recordings are found today. Between the National Herbarium of New South Wales and the Herbarium of Queensland there is currently, according to The Australian Plant Census, a total of 53% of the country's warrior bush recordings to be found.
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Wikipedia