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Nicotiana occidentalis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Nicotiana occidentalis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Solanales
Family: Solanaceae
Genus: Nicotiana
Species:
N. occidentalis
Binomial name
Nicotiana occidentalis
Subspecies

N. occidentalis subsp. occidentalis
N. occidentalis subsp. hesperis
N. occidentalis subsp. obliqua

Nicotiana occidentalis, commonly known as native tobacco,[1] is a short-lived herb endemic to Australia.

Description

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It grows as an annual or short-lived perennial herb, from ten to 120 centimetres high, with white or pink flowers. It is densely covered in sticky hairs.[2]

Taxonomy

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It was first published in 1935 by Helen-Mar Wheeler, based on a specimen collected from Port Hedland in 1911.[3]

Three subspecies are recognised. N. occidentalis subsp. obliqua is the only widespread subspecies;[4] the other two, N. occidentalis subsp. occidentalis and N. occidentalis subsp. hesperis, are endemic to Western Australia.[5][6]

Distribution and habitat

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It occurs throughout mid-latitude mainland Australia, but not in the tropical north, nor in the cooler, wetter, southwest and southeast corners. It thus occurs in every mainland state except Victoria. It grows in sand, clay and stony soils, on plains, along creeklines, and upon coastal limestone.[2][7]

References

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  1. ^ BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
  2. ^ a b "Nicotiana occidentalis H.-M.Wheeler". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  3. ^ "Nicotiana occidentalis H.-M.Wheeler". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
  4. ^ "Nicotiana occidentalis subsp. obliqua N.T.Burb". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
  5. ^ "Nicotiana occidentalis H.-M.Wheeler subsp. occidentalis". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
  6. ^ "Nicotiana occidentalis subsp. hesperis (N.T.Burb.) P.Horton". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
  7. ^ "New South Wales Flora Online: Nicotiana occidentalis". Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney, Australia.