Grevillea virgata, commonly known as Nerong grevillea,[2] is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae. It is an upright shrub with white flowers and is endemic to the Central Coast of New South Wales.

Nerong grevillea
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Proteales
Family:	Proteaceae
Genus:	Grevillea
Species:	G. virgata
Binomial name
Grevillea virgata Makinson[1]

Description

Grevillea virgata is an upright, open shrub that grows to a height of 0.5–2 m (1 ft 8 in – 6 ft 7 in), with reddish branches when young and sometimes forms a rhizome. The leaves are narrowly elliptic, more or less spreading, usually separated in clusters of three, 1–3 mm (0.039–0.118 in) long, 1.5–3 mm (0.059–0.118 in) wide, upper surface sometimes marked with dots, prominent veins, smooth or with small, round protuberances. The lower surface is visible and loosely to occasional with almost silky flattened hairs . The white flowers are borne at the end of branches, upright or curved downward, broadly on one side in groups of 10-24. The perianth is white with occasional silky flattened hairs, densely on limbs, inside occasionally bearded. The gynoecium 7–8 mm (0.28–0.31 in) long, style white, turning pink after the perianth drops, mostly smooth, hooked at the end 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in). Flowering occurs mostly from May to October and the fruit is a narrow ovoid shape 10–11 mm (0.39–0.43 in) long.[2][3]

Taxonomy and naming

Grevillea virgata was first formally described in 2000 by Robert Owen Makinson and the description was published in Flora of Australia.[4][5] The specific epithet (virgata) means "long and slender".[4]

Distribution and habitat

Nerong grevillea grows near swamps of the lower Myall River and Bulahdelah to Nerong in New South Wales.[3]

References