Stackhousia monogyna, commonly known as creamy stackhousia or creamy candles,[3] is a flowering plant in the family Celastraceae. It is a small multi-stemmed plant with narrow leaves and terminal spikes of white, cream or yellow flowers. It is a widespread species found in all states of Australia but not the Northern Territory.
Description
Stackhousia monogyna is a slender, multi-stemmed, perennial herb to 70 cm (28 in) high, covered with soft hairs or smooth on upright or ascending stems. The leaves are dark green, mostly narrow, linear to lance-shaped, up to 30 mm (1.2 in) long, 2–4 mm (0.079–0.157 in) wide and rounded, acute or with a short point at the apex. The inflorescence consists of numerous white, cream or yellow flowers in a densely-packed cylindrical spike, each flower is tubular with five pointed spreading lobes up to 5 mm (0.20 in) long. Flowering occurs from late winter to early summer and the fruit is a wide oval or ellipsoid shaped mericarp, wrinkled to veined and 1.9–2.8 mm (0.075–0.110 in) long.[4][5]
Taxonomy and naming
The species was described in 1861 by Ferdinand von Mueller as Desdemodium acanthocladum.[6][7] In 1805 French naturalist Jacques Labillardière changed the name to Stackhousia monogyna and the description was published in Novae Hollandiae Plantarum Specimen.[8][9] The specific epithet (monogyna) means “one”, probably referring to the one-seeded fruit.[10]
Distribution and habitat
Creamy stackhousia is a common widespread species growing in grassland and dry forest on gravel, clay and granite in all states of Australia but not the Northern Territory.[3][5]
References
- ^ “Stackhousia monogyna“. Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
- ^ “Stackhousia monogyna Labill”. Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ a b Brookes, A.K. “Stackhousia monogyna“. PlantNET-flora of NSW online. Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney.
- ^ Barker, W.R. “Stackhousia monogyna“. VICFLORA-flora of Victoria. Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
- ^ a b Sharp, Sarah; Rehwinkel, Rainer; Mallinson, Dave; Eddy, David (2015). Woodland Flora a Field Guide for the Southern Tableland (NSW & ACT). Canberra: Horizons Print Management. ISBN 9780994495808.
- ^ “Desmodium acanthocladum“. Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
- ^ von Mueller, Ferdinand (1861). Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae. Vol. v.2 1860-61. Melbourne. p. 122.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ “Stackhousia monogyna“. Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
- ^ Labillardiere, Jaques (1805). Novae Hollandiae Plantarum Specimen. Vol. v.1. p. 77.
- ^ George, A.S; Sharr, F.A (2021). Western Australian Plant Names and their meanings (4th ed.). Kardinya: Four Gables. p. 262. ISBN 9780958034197.