A new species of Amanita Pers. is documented from Western Australia. Amanita wadulawitu L.E.McGurk, E.M.Davison & E.L.J.Watkin is described from the Perth IBRA subregion. Amanita kalamundae O.K.Mill. is redescribed to include additional collections, drawing attention to the presence of clamp connections in the lamellae and at the base of basidia. A BLASTn search has shown that there are no exact matches of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of either species in GenBank.
Vigna sp. central (M.E. Trudgen 1626) (Fabaceae: Phaseoleae) is not distinct from V. sp. Hamersley Clay (A.A. Mitchell PRP 113)
BUTCHER, R. AND DILLON, S.J., Nuytsia27: 31–32 (2016)
Chrysocephalum apiculatum (Labill.) Steetz and C. semipapposum (Labill.) Steetz are treated as distinct and endemic to Australia. In C. apiculatum 29 subspecies are recognised: subsp. apiculatum, subsp. orarium Paul G.Wilson, subsp. congestum Paul G.Wilson, subsp. gracile Paul G.Wilson, subsp. filifolium Paul G.Wilson, subsp. caespitosum Paul G.Wilson, subsp. ramosissimum (Hook.) Paul G.Wilson, subsp. insigne (Domin) Paul G.Wilson, subsp. simpliciusculum (Domin) Paul G.Wilson, subsp. semiamplexicaule (Domin) Paul G.Wilson, subsp. exile Paul G.Wilson, subsp. barbellatum Paul G.Wilson, subsp. odorum (DC.) Paul G.Wilson, subsp. arachnoideum (Domin) Paul G.Wilson, subsp. stoloniferum Paul G.Wilson, subsp. argenteum Paul G.Wilson, subsp. gracilescens (Domin) Paul G.Wilson, subsp. erectum Paul G.Wilson, subsp. pilbarense Paul G.Wilson, subsp. racemosum (J.Black) Paul G.Wilson, subsp. glandulosum Paul G.Wilson, subsp. variabile Paul G.Wilson, subsp. curvifolium (Domin) Paul G.Wilson, subsp. attenuatum Paul G.Wilson, subsp. flindersianum Paul G.Wilson, subsp. undulatum Paul G.Wilson, subsp. yorkense Paul G.Wilson, subsp. halmaturorum Paul G.Wilson, and subsp. norsemanense Paul G.Wilson. In C. semipapposum five subspecies are recognised: subsp. semipapposum, subsp. lineare Paul G.Wilson, subsp. brevifolium (Sond.) Paul G.Wilson, subsp. asperum (Steetz) Paul G.Wilson, and subsp. occidentale (Benth.) Paul G.Wilson.
Status of Senecio diaschides (Asteraceae) in Western Australia
KEIGHERY, G.J. AND THIELE, K.R., Nuytsia27: 75–76 (2016)
The new species described herein came to light during botanical surveys of the Burrup Peninsula and surrounds in 2000; it is geographically restricted to basalt rockpile habitats in the north-west of the Pilbara bioregion. Vigna triodiophila A.E.Holland & R.Butcher is diminutive in all its parts and can be readily distinguished from other Vigna Savi taxa in the Pilbara by its small (to 2.3(.3) cm long to 1.6(.2.1) cm wide), ovate to elliptic leaflets which lack lateral lobing. The species has a conservation listing of Priority Three in Western Australia.
Thismia tectipora (Thismiaceae) a new, unusual mitre-form species from tropical Australia
COWIE, I.D. AND LIDDLE, D.T., Nuytsia27: 85–94 (2016)
A new tropical species, Thismia tectipora Cowie from Melville Island in the far north of the Northern Territory, Australia, is described and illustrated. The species is unique in the genus in having a thickened, fleshy, verrucose, cap-like mitre, the rim of which is reflexed to hide the pores in the upper perianth tube. It appears allied to taxa previously placed in Thismia Griff. sect. Sarcosiphon (Blume) Jonker, Geomitra Becc. and Scaphiophora Schltr. Available evidence suggests T. tectipora has a restricted distribution on Melville Island. Threats to the species, and its conservation status, are discussed.
Removal of six phrase names from the census of Western Australian vascular plants
HISLOP, M. AND SHEPHERD, K.A., Nuytsia27: 95–98 (2016)
The following new species of Malleostemon J.W.Green are described: M. costatus Rye & Trudgen, M. microphyllus Rye & Trudgen, M. nephroideus Rye, M. nerrenensis Rye & Trudgen, M. pentagonus Rye & Trudgen, M. pustulatus Rye and M. uniflorus Rye. A new key is presented for the genus. Malleostemon sp. Kalbarri (L.A. Craven 7083) is reduced to synonymy under M. hursthousei (W.Fitzg.) J.W.Green and unnamed taxa that need further study are noted. Six of the new species have conservation priority.
Formal transfer of Murchisonia to Thysanotus (Asparagaceae)
SIRISENA, U.M.,CONRAN, J.G. AND MACFARLANE, T.D., Nuytsia27: 121–123 (2016)
A new species of Dysphania R.Br., D. congestiflora S.J.Dillon & A.S.Markey is described and an amendment to the most recent key of Dysphania is provided to include the new taxon.
Western Australian plant taxa not collected for more than 50 years
An analysis of the Western Australian Herbarium collections generated a list of 29 endemic taxa last collected between 1888 and 1965, which are not currently on the Presumed Extinct schedule. On review, four of these taxa are not of immediate concern. The remaining 25 taxa are predominantly shrubs, generally known from very few collections, and are concentrated in heavily cleared bioregions, particularly the Avon Wheatbelt. Two taxa, Ptilotus sericostachyus subsp. roseus (Moq.) Benl and Darwinia divisa Keighery & N.G.Marchant, are recommended for immediate nomination as Presumed Extinct, while the remaining taxa will require further survey and/or taxonomic work to resolve their conservation status. Further survey will be challenging given the general lack of specific geographical and habitat information available for these taxa.
A taxonomic revision of Beaufortia (Myrtaceae: Melaleuceae)
Beaufortia R.Br. (Myrtaceae) is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia and is almost confined to the South-West Botanical Province, with a few species extending a short distance into the Eremaean. Twenty-two species are recognised in this revision of the genus, including three new species: B. burbidgeae A.A.Burb., B. kwongkanicola A.A.Burb. and B. raggedensis A.A.Burb. Beaufortia puberula Turcz. is reinstated and B. interstans F.Muell. placed into synonymy under it. Lectotypes are selected for B. anisandra Schauer, B. dampieri A.Cunn., B. elegans Schauer, B. empetrifolia (Rchb.) Schauer, B. micrantha Schauer, B. micrantha var. puberula Benth., B. orbifolia F.Muell., B. schaueri Preiss ex Schauer, B. schaueri var. (?) atrorubens Benth., B. sparsa R.Br. and B. squarrosa Schauer.
Tetratheca butcheriana (Elaeocarpaceae), a new and rare species from the Pilbara bioregion of Western Australia
PERKINS, A.J.,REIFFER, S. AND AJDUK, H., Nuytsia27: 203–209 (2016)
A new species of Tetratheca Sm., discovered while performing flora surveys along banded ironstone cliffs north-west of Tom Price in 2015, is described. It is named T. butcheriana A.J.Perkins in honour of Ryonen Butcher, a botanical researcher and well-published taxonomic expert on Tetratheca in Western Australia. This species is one of two species of Tetratheca geographically restricted to the Pilbara bioregion, both of which are of conservation significance. A taxonomic description of T. butcheriana is provided, along with photographs and a list of diagnostic features to aid in identification.
Eremophila buirchellii and E. calcicola (Scrophulariaceae), two new species from Western Australia
BROWN, A.P. AND DAVIS, R.W., Nuytsia27: 211–216 (2016)
Six new species of Leucopogon R.Br. (L. foliosus Hislop, L. grammatus Hislop, L. inflexus Hislop, L. prolatus Hislop, L. simulans Hislop and L. stenophyllus Hislop) are described, illustrated and their distributions mapped. Aspects of the morphology and taxonomy of the informal Northern Group of species are discussed and a comparison is made, in tabular form, between this group and two other informal groups, the L. pulchellus Sond. and L. carinatus R.Br. groups. A key to the species of Leucopogon s. str. from the Geraldton Sandplains bioregion is provided.
Status of the fern Histiopteris incisa (Dennstaedtiaceae) in southern Western Australia