Petrophile longifolia, commonly known as the long-leaved cone bush is a shrub which is native to the south west of Western Australia, growing between the city of Albany and the Stirling Range.[1]
Petrophile longifolia is a ground-hugging shrub without a lignotuber, but with short stems and long (20–40 cm), thin cylindrical leaves with a sharp-pointed end. The flower heads are silky, cream in colour, 4–6 cm across, at the ends of short branches and surrounded by many short, pointed, leaf-like bracts. The flowers appear in late spring and early summer and are followed by long, oval-shaped fruits which, like others of the genus, only release their seeds after a fire or the death of the plant.[2][3]
Petrophile longifolia was first formally described in 1830 by Robert Brown from a specimen collected in 1829 near King George Sound by William Baxter. The description was published in Supplementum primum Prodromi florae Novae Hollandiae[4] The specific epithet (longifolia) is derived from the Latin words longus meaning "long" and folium meaning "leaf".[5]
Long-leaved cone bush is found in the Esperance Plains, Jarrah forest, Swan Coastal Plain and Warren biogeographical regions.[6] It grows in sand, gravel, sandy loam or clay on sandplains.[7]
Petrophile longifolia, like others of its genus is not often cultivated but although it is a western species, is more reliable in humid east coast gardens than many others. It performs best in areas with dry summers and well drained soils in a sunny position.[3]
Petrophile longifolia is not threatened at present.[7]
Petrophile longifolia, commonly known as the long-leaved cone bush is a shrub which is native to the south west of Western Australia, growing between the city of Albany and the Stirling Range.
