Grevillea insignis, commonly known as wax grevillea,[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, bushy shrub with more or less oblong leaves with seven to seventeen sharply-pointed, triangular teeth, and more or less spherical or cylindrical clusters of cream-coloured flowers ageing to pink.
| Grevillea insignis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Grevillea insignis subsp. insignis (Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne) | |
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| Grevillea insignis subsp. elliotii (Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Proteales |
| Family: | Proteaceae |
| Genus: | Grevillea |
| Species: | G. insignis |
| Binomial name | |
| Grevillea insignis | |
Description
Grevillea insignis is an erect, bushy shrub that typically grows to a height of 1–4 m (3 ft 3 in – 13 ft 1 in). Its leaves are more or less oblong, 29–90 mm (1.1–3.5 in) long and 20–40 mm (0.79–1.57 in) wide with seven to seventeen sharply-pointed triangular teeth or lobes 3–8 mm (0.12–0.31 in) long and wide. The flowers are cream-coloured, ageing to pink and are arranged in more or less spherical to cylindrical, sometimes branched clusters on a rachis 10–25 mm (0.39–0.98 in) long. The pistil is 11–20 mm (0.43–0.79 in) long, and the ovary is densely shaggy-hairy. Flowering occurs from June to December and the fruit is an oblong follicle 10–14 mm (0.39–0.55 in) long.[2][3][4]
Taxonomy
Grevillea insignis was first formally described in 1855 by Carl Meissner in Hooker's Journal of Botany and Kew Garden Miscellany based on material collected by James Drummond.[5][6] The specific epithet (insignis) means "remarkable" or "distinguished".[7]
In 1993, In 1994 Peter M. Olde and Neil R. Marriott described two subspecies of G. insignis in the journal Nuytsia and the names are accepted by the Australian Plant Census:[4]
- Grevillea insignis subsp. elliotii Olde & Marriott.[8] differs from the autonym in having branchlets that are not glaucous and leaves with a wedge-shaped base with wider spaces between the lobes;[4][9][10]
- Grevillea insignis Kippist ex Meisn. subsp. insignis[11] has glaucous branchlets and leaves with narrow bases and narrow spaces between the lobes.[4][12][13]
Distribution and habitat
Subspecies elliotii grows in woodland and shrubland in a restricted area east of Varley and subsp. insignis grows in mallee and heathy shrubland between Tammin, Nyabing and Tarin Rock.[9][10][12][13]
Conservation status
Subspecies insignis is listed as "not threatened"[12] but subsp. elliotii is classified as "Priority Three" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions,[9] meaning that it is poorly known and known from only a few locations but is not under imminent threat.[14]