Pimelea, commonly known as rice flowers, is a genus of plants belonging to the family Thymelaeaceae. There are about 150 species, including 110 in Australia and 36 in New Zealand.
Description Plants in the genus Pimelea are herbs or small shrubs, usually with leaves arranged in opposite pairs. The leaves are usually paler on the lower surface and the petiole is usually very short. The flowers are usually arranged in groups on the ends of the branches and have no petals, but four petal-like sepals and two stamens. The ovary has a single ovule and the fruit is usually a nut containing a single seed.
Taxonomy and naming The genus Pimelea was first formally described in 1788 by Joseph Gaertner from unpublished descriptions by Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander. The first species Gaertner described was Pimelea laevigata, now known as Pimelea prostrata.
The name Pimelea is from the Ancient Greek word πιμελή (pīmelḗ), meaning "soft fat or "lard", possibly referring to the oily seeds or fleshy cotyledons of riceflowers.
Ecology Some species, including P. curviflora, P. flava, P. glauca, P. linifolia, P. microcephala, P. neo-anglica, P. pauciflora, P. simplex and P. trichostachya, are toxic to stock; there is no known cure.
Species About 150 species of Pimelea have been formally described, including about 110 in Australia and 36 in New Zealand. The following is a combined list of names accepted by the Australian Plant Census or the New Zealand Plant Conservation Network .
Pimelea acra C.J.Burrows & de Lange (N.Z.) Pimelea actea C.J.Burrows (N.Z.) Pimelea aeruginosa F.Muell. (W.A.) Pimelea alpina F.Muell. ex Meisn. – alpine riceflower (N.S.W., Vic.) Pimelea altior F.Muell. (Qld., N.S.W.) Pimelea amabilis (Domin) A.R.Bean (Qld.) Pimelea ammocharis F.Muell. (W.A.) Pimelea angustifolia R.Br. (W.A.) Pimelea approximans A.R.Bean (Qld.) Pimelea aquilonia Rye (Qld.) Pimelea argentea R.Br. – silvery leaved pimelea (W.A.) Pimelea aridula Cheeseman (N.Z.) Pimelea aridula subsp. aridula Pimelea aridula subsp. oliga Pimelea avonensis Rye (W.A.) Pimelea axiflora F.Muell. ex Meisn. – bootlace bush (N.S.W., Vic., Tas.) Pimelea axiflora subsp. alpina Pimelea axiflora subsp. axiflora Pimelea axiflora subsp. pubescens Pimelea barbata C.J.Burrows (N.Z.) Pimelea barbata subsp. barbata Pimelea barbata subsp. omoia Pimelea biflora N.A.Wakef. – matted rice flower (N.S.W., Vic.) Pimelea brachyphylla Benth. (W.A.) Pimelea bracteata Threlfall (N.S.W.) Pimelea brevifolia R.Br. (W.A.) Pimelea brevifolia subsp. brevifolia Pimelea brevifolia subsp. modesta Pimelea brevistyla Rye (W.A.) Pimelea brevistyla subsp. brevistyla Pimelea brevistyla subsp. minor Pimelea buxifolia Hook.f. (N.Z.) Pimelea calcicola Rye (W.A.) Pimelea carnosa C.J.Burrows (N.Z.) Pimelea chlorina A.R.Bean (Qld.) Pimelea ciliata Rye (W.A.) Pimelea ciliata subsp. ciliata Pimelea ciliata subsp. longituba Pimelea ciliolaris (Threlfall) Rye (N.S.W.) Pimelea cinerea R.Br. (Tas.) Pimelea clavata Labill. (W.A.) Pimelea concinna Allan (N.Z.) Pimelea concreta F.Muell. (W.A., N.T.) Pimelea confertiflora A.R.Bean (Qld.) Pimelea congesta C.Moore & F.Muell. (Lord Howe Island) Pimelea cornucopiae Vahl (Qld.) Pimelea cracens Rye (W.A.) Pimelea cracens subsp. cracens Pimelea cracens subsp. glabra Pimelea cremnophila L.M.Copel. & I.Telford (N.S.W.) Pimelea cruciata Rye & Wege (W.A.) Pimelea cryptica C.J.Burrows & Enright (N.Z.) Pimelea curviflora R.Br. – tough-barked riceflower, curved riceflower (N.S.W., Vic., S.A.) Pimelea curviflora subsp. acuta (Threlfall) N.G.Walsh Pimelea curviflora R.Br. var. curviflora Pimelea curviflora subsp. divergens (Threlfall) N.G.Walsh Pimelea curviflora subsp. fusiformis N.G.Walsh & E.M.Schulz Pimelea curviflora subsp. gracilis (R.Br.) Threlfall Pimelea curviflora subsp. planiticola N.G.Walsh & E.M.Schulz Pimelea curviflora subsp. sericea (Benth.) N.G.Walsh Pimelea curviflora subsp. subglabrata (Threlfall) N.G.Walsh Pimelea declivis C.J.Burrows (N.Z.) Pimelea decora Domin – Flinders poppy (Qld.) Pimelea drummondii (Turcz.) Rye (W.A.) Pimelea drupacea Labill. – cherry riceflower (Vic., Tas.) Pimelea dura C.J.Burrows (N.Z.) Pimelea elongata Threlfall (N.S.W., Qld., S.A.) Pimelea erecta Rye (W.A.) Pimelea eremitica C.J.Burrows – roimata o tohe (N.Z.) Pimelea eyrei F.Muell. (W.A.) Pimelea ferruginea Labill. (W.A.) Pimelea filifolia (Rye) C.S.P.Foster & Henwood (N.T.) Pimelea filiformis Hook.f. (Tas.) Pimelea flava R.Br. – yellow riceflower, diosma riceflower (N.S.W., Vic. S.A.) Pimelea flava subsp. dichotoma Pimelea flava subsp. flava Pimelea floribunda Meisn. (W.A.) Pimelea forrestiana F.Muell. (W.A.) Pimelea fugiens A.R.Bean (Qld.) Pimelea gigandra A.R.Bean (Qld., N.S.W.) Pimelea gilgiana E.Pritz. (W.A.) Pimelea glauca R.Br. – smooth riceflower (N.S.W., Qld., Tas., S.A.) Pimelea gnidia (J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.) Willd. (N.Z.) Pimelea graniticola Rye (W.A.) Pimelea haematostachya F.Muell. (Qld.) Pimelea halophila Rye (W.A.) Pimelea hewardiana Meisn. – forked riceflower (Vic., S.A.) Pimelea hirta C.J.Burrows (N.Z.) Pimelea hirsuta Meisn. (N.S.W.) Pimelea hirsuta subsp. elliptifolia Pimelea hirsuta subsp. hirsuta Pimelea hispida R.Br. – bristly pimelea (W.A.) Pimelea holroydii F.Muell.(W.A.) Pimelea humilis R.Br.– common riceflower (N.S.W., Vic., Tas., S.A.) Pimelea ignota C.J.Burrows & Courtney – pinatoro (N.Z.) Pimelea imbricata R.Br. (W.A.) Pimelea imbricata var. imbricata Pimelea imbricata var. major Pimelea imbricata var. petraea Pimelea imbricata var. piligera Pimelea imbricata var. simulans Pimelea interioris Rye (N.T.) Pimelea lanata R.Br. (W.A.) Pimelea latifolia R.Br. (N.S.W., Qld.) Pimelea lehmanniana Meisn. (W.A.) Pimelea lehmanniana subsp. lehmanniana Pimelea lehmanniana subsp. nervosa Pimelea leiophylla A.M.Gray & M.Baker (Tas.) Pimelea leptospermoides F.Muell. (Qld.) Pimelea leptospermoides subsp. bowmanii Pimelea leptospermoides subsp. leptospermoides Pimelea leptostachya Benth. (Qld.) Pimelea leucantha Diels (W.A.) Pimelea ligustrina Labill. – tall riceflower (N.S.W., Qld., Vic., Tas., S.A.) Pimelea ligustrina subsp. ciliata Pimelea ligustrina subsp. hypericina Pimelea ligustrina subsp. ligustrina Pimelea linifolia Sm. – slender riceflower (N.S.W., Qld., S.A., Vic., Tas.) Pimelea linifolia subsp. caesia Pimelea linifolia subsp. collina Pimelea linifolia subsp. linifolia Pimelea linifolia subsp. linoides Pimelea longiflora R.Br. (W.A.) Pimelea longiflora subsp. longiflora Pimelea longifolia Sol. ex Wikstr. – long-leaved pimelea, taranga (N.Z.) Pimelea lyallii Hook.f. (N.Z.) Pimelea macrostegia (Benth.) J.M.Black (S.A.) Pimelea mesoa C.J.Burrows (N.Z.) Pimelea mesoa subsp. macra Pimelea mesoa subsp. mesoa Pimelea micrantha F.Muell. ex Meisn. – silky rice-flower (N.S.W., Vic., W.A., S.A., Tas.) Pimelea microcephala R.Br. – mallee riceflower or shrubby riceflower (N.S.W., Qld., Vic., N.T., S.A., W.A.) Pimelea microcephala subsp. glabra Pimelea microcephala subsp. microcephala Pimelea microphylla Colenso (N.Z.) Pimelea milliganii Meisn. (Tas.) Pimelea mimosa C.J.Burrows (N.Z.) Pimelea mollis A.R.Bean (Qld.) Pimelea neoanglica Threlfall – poison pimelea, scanty riceflower (N.S.W., Qld.) Pimelea neokyrea Rye (W.A.) Pimelea nitens C.J.Burrows & Courtney (N.Z.) Pimelea nitens subsp. aspera Pimelea nitens subsp. nitens Pimelea nivea Labill. (Tas.) Pimelea notia C.J.Burrows & Thorsen (N.Z.) Pimelea octophylla R.Br. – woolly riceflower, downy riceflower (Vic., S.A.) Pimelea oreophila C.J.Burrows (N.Z.) Pimelea oreophila subsp. ephaistica Pimelea oreophila subsp. hetera Pimelea oreophila subsp. lepta Pimelea oreophila subsp. oreophila Pimelea orthia C.J.Burrows & Thorsen (N.Z.) Pimelea orthia subsp. orthia Pimelea orthia subsp. protea Pimelea pagophila Rye (Vic.) Pimelea pauciflora R.Br. – poison rice-flower (N.S.W., Vic., Tas.) Pimelea pelinos Rye (W.A.) Pimelea pendens Rye (W.A.) Pimelea penicillaris F.Muell. (N.S.W., Qld., S.A., N.T.) Pimelea petrophila F.Muell. (S.A., N.S.W.) Pimelea phylicoides (Vic., S.A.) Pimelea physodes Hook.f. – Qualup bell (W.A.) Pimelea plurinervia Bean (Qld.) Pimelea poppelwellii Petrie – Poppelwells pimelea (N.Z.) Pimelea preissii Meisn. (W.A.) Pimelea prostrata (J.R.Forst. et G.Forst.) Willd. – pinatoro, New Zealand daphne, Strathmore weed (N.Z.) Pimelea prostrata subsp. prostrata Pimelea prostrata subsp. seismica Pimelea prostrata subsp. thermalis Pimelea prostrata subsp. ventosa Pimelea pseudolyallii Allan (N.Z.) Pimelea punicea R.Br. (W.A, N.T.) Pimelea pygmaea F.Muell. & C.Stuart ex Meisn. (Tas.) Pimelea rara Rye – summer pimelea (W.A.) Pimelea rosea R.Br. – rose banjine (W.A.) Pimelea rosea subsp. annelsii Rye Pimelea rosea R.Br. subsp. rosea Pimelea rupestris A.R.Bean (Qld., N.S.W.) Pimelea sanguinea F.Muell. (W.A., N.T., Qld.) Pimelea sericea R.Br. (Tas.) Pimelea sericostachya F.Muell. (Qld.) Pimelea sericeovillosa Hook.f. – cushion pimelea (N.Z.) Pimelea sericeovillosa subsp. alta Pimelea sericeovillosa subsp. pulvinaris Pimelea sericeovillosa subsp. sericeovillosa Pimelea serpyllifolia R.Br. – thyme riceflower (N.S.W., Vic., Tas., W.A., S.A.) Pimelea serpyllifolia subsp. occidentalis Pimelea serpyllifolia subsp. serpyllifolia Pimelea sessilis Rye (W.A.) Pimelea simplex F.Muell. – desert riceflower (N.T., N.S.W., Qld., Vic., S.A.) Pimelea simplex subsp. continua Pimelea simplex subsp. simplex Pimelea spectabilis Lindl. – bunjong (W.A.) Pimelea spicata R.Br. (N.S.W.) Pimelea spiculigera F.Muell. (W.A.) Pimelea spiculigera F.Muell. var. spiculigera Pimelea spiculigera var. thesioides (S.Moore) Rye Pimelea spinescens Rye – spiny riceflower (Vic.) Pimelea spinescens subsp. pubiflora Rye Pimelea spinescens Rye subsp. spinescens Pimelea sporadica C.J.Burrows (N.Z.) Pimelea stricta Meisn. (N.S.W., Vic., S.A.) – gaunt rice-flower Pimelea strigosa Gand. (N.S.W., Qld.) Pimelea suaveolens Meisn. – scented banjine (W.A.) Pimelea suaveolens subsp. flava Pimelea suaveolens subsp. suaveolens Pimelea subvillifera (Threlfall) Rye (W.A., S.A.) Pimelea sulphurea Meisn. – yellow banjine (W.A.) Pimelea suteri Kirk (N.Z.) Pimelea sylvestris R.Br. (W.A.) Pimelea telura C.J.Burrows – three kings pimelea (N.Z.) Pimelea tinctoria Meisn. (W.A.) Pimelea tomentosa (J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.) Druce (N.Z.) Pimelea traversii Hook.f. (N.Z.) Pimelea traversii subsp. boreus Pimelea traversii subsp. exedra Pimelea traversii subsp. traversii Pimelea treyvaudii F.Muell. ex Ewart & B.Rees – grey riceflower (N.S.W., Vic.) Pimelea trichostachya Meisn. (N.S.W., Qld., Vic., W.A., S.A., N.T.) Pimelea umbratica A.Cunn. ex Meisn. (N.S.W., Qld.) Pimelea urvilleana A.Rich. (N.Z.) Pimelea urvilleana subsp. nesica (N.Z.) Pimelea urvilleana subsp. urvilleana – pinatoro (N.Z.) Pimelea venosa Threlfall – Bolivia Hill pimelea (N.S.W.) Pimelea villifera Meisn. (W.A.) Pimelea villosa Sol. ex Sm. – sand daphne, autetaranga, toroheke, sand pimelea (N.Z.) Pimelea williamsonii J.M.Black – Williamson's riceflower (Vic., S.A.) Pimelea xenica C.J.Burrows – pinatoro (N.Z.)
References