The Wellington Mintbush is an erect to spreading small shrub growing to 2 m high. It often grows through, and supported by, other vegetation.Some young branches occasionally appear square shaped in cross section, with dense hairs between two faint lateral-running ridges and on nodes while the rest of the branch is hairless. Leaves are mid-green, 15 mm x 2 mm, stalkless, in opposite pairs and mostly hairless. Leaves are narrowly ovate or oblong, but often appear linear as margins are strongly folded back. They have a slight aroma when crushed. Flowers are deep mauve to purple with darker spots on the petals and are arranged in groups of 8 to 24. Petals are 7-10 mm long; the two upper petals form a hood and the three lower petals are spread fan-shape; and the middle petal is the broadest and longest. Stamens have anthers that lack a basal appendage. The surrounding calyx is divided into two lips, with the upper lip curved backwards and 6 mm in length.
Wellington Mintbush |
Prostanthera galbraithiae
Status: Vulnerable on the EPBC Act list
Government evidence of impact of climate change:
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Australian Government, Conservation Advice, Prostanthera galbraithiae
Major threats to populations include weed invasion and altered fire regimes. (DSE 2008) Relevant Biology Ecology The Wellington mint bush occurs in open heath forest; heathland and heath woodland; usually on gravelly sand (Walsh Entwisle 1999 cited in Cater 2006).
Threat factor Threat Evidence base type and status Fire Too frequent known The Wellington mint bush is an obligate seeder with a soil burning or too current seedbank (Cater 2006; Kohout 2011; DSE 2008).
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