Jump to content

Macgregoria racemigera

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Macgregoria racemigera
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Celastrales
Family: Celastraceae
Genus: Macgregoria
F.Muell.
Species:
M. racemigera
Binomial name
Macgregoria racemigera
Occurrence data from AVH
Synonyms[1]

Macgregoria racemosa Benth.

Macgregoria racemigera (spinifex snow, desert snow, carpet-of-snow)[2] is a species of flowering plant in the family Celastraceae, and the sole species in genus Macgregoria.[3] It is an annual or perennial native to inland Australia from New South Wales through Queensland, the Northern Territory to Western Australia, and South Australia.[4][1]

Macgregoria racemigera is an erect annual herb with slender stems spreading over the ground and growing up to 15 cm by 30 cm in diameter. The leaves are linear and 5 to 15 mm long by 1 mm wide. The raceme is dense and from 4 to 11 cm long, with the flowers subtended by a bract at the base of the pedicel. The flowers are white, often having a pink throat and are strongly scented. The five unwinged fruit segments[5] are obovoid, densely papillose, and covered in hooked hairs.[6] The flowers with their lovely perfume are seen in the dry season.[7]

Macgregoria racemigera was first described in 1874 by Ferdinand von Mueller from a specimen collected by Ernest Giles in the MacDonnell Ranges.[8][9]

Aboriginal names

[edit]

The Walmajarri people of the southern Kimberley call this plant jaliji (a name given to plants with pretty flowers but having no specific use).[7] The Warlpiri use several names: ngapa-jakajaka, ngapajimpi, ngapa-taraki-taraki.[2]

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 "Macgregoria racemigera F.Muell. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 "NT Flora: Macgregoria racemigera". eflora.nt.gov.au. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  3. "Macgregoria F.Muell". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  4. Atlas of Living Australia. "Species: Macgregoria racemigera". bie.ala.org.au. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  5. "PlantNET - FloraOnline: Macgregoria". plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  6. "PlantNET - FloraOnline: Macgregoria recemigera". plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  7. 1 2 Bessie Doonday; Charmia Samuels; Evelyn (Martha) Clancy; et al. (2013). "Walmajarri plants and animals". Northern Territory Botanical Bulletin. 42: 91. Wikidata Q106088428.
  8. "Macgregoria racemigera". Australian Plant Name Index, IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
  9. Mueller, F.J.H. von (1874). "Macgregoria racemigera". Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae. 8 (66): 161.