Hibbertia hibbertioides is a species of flowering plant in the family Dilleniaceae and is endemic to near-coastal areas of south-western Western Australia. It is a small, prostrate or sprawling shrub with crowded, linear cylindrical leaves and yellow flowers with usually eleven stamens arranged in groups around three carpels.
Description
Hibbertia hibbertioides is a prostrate or sprawling shrub that typically grows to a height of up to 30 cm (12 in) and usually has glabrous branches, at least when they are mature. The leaves are crowded, pale-coloured, linear and cylindrical to triangular in cross-section, 3.5–17 mm (0.14–0.67 in) long and 0.5–0.6 mm (0.020–0.024 in) wide. The flowers are arranged singly in leaf axils or on the ends of short side shoots, and are sessile or on a peduncle up to 17 mm (0.67 in) long with inconspicuous bracts 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) long. The flowers are 10–15 mm (0.39–0.59 in) in diameter with five sepals joined at the base, the inner sepals 5.5–7.5 mm (0.22–0.30 in) long, the outer ones distinctly shorter. The five petals are yellow, egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base and 5–9 mm (0.20–0.35 in) long with a small notch at the tip. There are usually eleven stamens, nine fused at the base in groups of three and one or two free, arranged around the three glabrous carpels that each contain one ovule.[2][3]
In 2004, Wheeler described three varieties in the journal Nuytsia and the names are accepted by the Australian Plant Census:
Hibbertia hibbertioides (Steud.) J.R.Wheeler var. hibbertioides[8] has more or less sessile flowers, stamens 2.5–3.5 mm (0.098–0.138 in) long, and flowers from June to December;[2]
Hibbertia hibbertioides var. meridionalis J.R.Wheeler[9] has more or less sessile flowers, stamens 1.5–2 mm (0.059–0.079 in) long and flowers sporadically from December to May;[2]
Hibbertia hibbertioides var. pedunculata J.R.Wheeler[10] has flowers on peduncles 5–17 mm (0.20–0.67 in) long and mainly flowers from September to December.[2]
The varietal epithets mean "southern" (meridionalis) and "provided with a peduncle" (pedunculata) respectively.[2]
^von Steudel, Ernst G.; Lehmann, Johann G.C. (ed.) (1845). Plantae Preissianae. Hamburg. p. 265. Retrieved 24 June 2021. {{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)
^Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 131. ISBN9780958034180.