| Bolivia Hill boronia | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Sapindales |
| Family: | Rutaceae |
| Genus: | Boronia |
| Species: | B. boliviensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Boronia boliviensis | |
 | |
| Occurrence data fromAustralasian Virtual Herbarium | |
Boronia boliviensis, commonly known asBolivia Hill boronia[3] is a plant in the citrusfamily,Rutaceae and isendemic to a small area on theNorthern Tablelands ofNew South Wales. It is a strongly scented shrub withpinnate leaves, deep pink flowers in spring and with its young branches covered with fine, yellow hairs. It is only known from higher parts of theBolivia Range where it grows ongranite outcrops.
Boronia boliviensis is an erect, strongly scented shrub with many branches and which grows to a height of between 0.5 and 2.2 m (2 and 7 ft). The branches, when young are densely covered with fine, yellowish, branched hairs but becomeglabrous with age. Its leaves are dark green and bipinnate with between 5 and 9 leaflets. Each leaflet is narrow elliptic in shape, 4–9 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long and arranged on a jointedrachis usually 2–12 mm (0.08–0.5 in) long and 8–15 mm (0.3–0.6 in) wide.[3][4][5][6]
The flowers are borne singly or in groups of 3 in leaf axils on a branchedpeduncle 1.5–2 mm (0.06–0.08 in) long, with branches (pedicels) 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) long. There are 4 deep red, pointedsepal lobes, each 2.5–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long and 4 deep pinkpetals 4–9 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long and 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide. There are 8 curvedstamens tipped with yellow anthers. Flowering occurs mainly from September to November but flowers are often present in other months.[3][4][5][6]
Boronia boliviensis was discovered in 1995 and first formally described byJohn Beaumont Williams andJohn Thomas Hunter in 2006 and the description was published inTelopea.[7] Thespecific epithet (boliviensis) refers to the location Bolivia Hill, where all known specimens of the species have been found.[4]
This boronia is only known from the Bolivia Range south ofTenterfield where it grows in forest or shrubland in thin soil over granite or between granite boulders, at altitudes between 900 and 1,200 m (3,000 and 4,000 ft). It often occurs in association withLeucopogon neoanglicus andMicromyrtus sessilis.[4][6]
Boronia boliviensis was classified as "endangered" by the Scientific Committee, established by the Threatened Species Conservation Act (NSW). In 1999 the total population of mature plants was estimated to be 1,000.[3][5][6] As of September 2024[update], is listed as "critically endangered" under theEPBC Act.[1]
