Conospermum incurvum, commonly known as plume smokebush,[2] is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, spindly or prostrate shrub with densely arranged cylindrical leaves, and panicles of white, tube-shaped flowers with dark blue bracteoles.
Description
Conospermum incurvum is a prostrate or erect, spindly shrub that typically grows to a height of 0.4–1 m (1 ft 4 in – 3 ft 3 in), its stems densely covered in cylindrical leaves, 7–30 mm (0.28–1.18 in) long and 0.5–0.8 mm (0.020–0.031 in) wide. The leaves are s-shaped and the edges are curved upwards. The flowers are arranged in woolly panicles 50–400 mm (2.0–15.7 in) long on the ends of branches. The flowers have many bracts and dark blue, d-shaped bracteoles 2.2–3.5 mm (0.087–0.138 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) wide. The perianth is tube-shaped, 4–7 mm (0.16–0.28 in) long, woolly and white.[2][3]
Taxonomy
Conospermum incurvum was first published in John Lindley's 1839 A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony, based on unspecified material. Its taxonomic history since that time has been entirely without incident, with neither synonyms nor infrageneric taxa being published.[4][5] Its close relative is C. brachyphyllum, from which it may be distinguished by its more densely clustered leaves.[3] The specific epithet (incurvum) means 'curved inwards', referring to the leaves.[6]
^George, Alex; Sharr, Francis (2021). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 223. ISBN9780958034180.
^ABC Gardening Australia : flora's native plants : a definitive guide to Australian plants, over 1,800 plants. Ultimo, NSW: ABC Books. 2004. p. 126. ISBN073331449X.