Grevillea juniperina
Grevillea juniperina, commonly known as juniper- or juniper-leaf grevillea or prickly spider-flower, is a plant of the family Proteaceae native to eastern New South Wales and southeastern Queensland in Australia. Scottish botanist Robert Brown described the species in 1810, and seven subspecies are recognised. One subspecies, "G. j. juniperina", is restricted to Western Sydney and environs and is threatened by loss of habitat and housing development. A small, prickly-leaved shrub between high, "G. juniperina" generally grows on clay-based or alluvial soils in eucalypt woodland. The flower heads, known as inflorescences, appear from winter to  early summer and are red, orange or yellow. Birds visit and pollinate the flowers. "Grevillea juniperina" plants are killed by bushfire, regenerating afterwards from seed. "Grevillea juniperina" adapts readily to cultivation and has been important in horticulture as it is the parent of many popular garden hybrids. Description. "Grevillea juniperina" has a spreading or erect habit (growth form) and it grows to between in height. The branchlets are thick and sturdy. The prickly leaves are generally stiff and are long and wide. They are crowded along the stems. Flowering occurs throughout the year, peaking between midwinter and early summer, though  it varies between the different subspecies. Subspecies "allojohnsonii" flowers from September to February, subspecies "trinervis" flowers from August to December, and subspecies "juniperina", "amphitricha", "sulphurea", "villosa" and "fortis" flower in August and September. The spider-flower arrangement of the inflorescence has several individual flowers emerging from a central rounded flower head—reminiscent of the legs of a spider. The flowers are red, pink, orange, yellow or greenish, and are mostly terminal—arising on the ends of stems—though they occasionally arise from axillary buds. They are long. The perianth is finely furred on the outside, while the pistil is smooth ; it is long. Flowering is followed by the development of seed pods, each capsule is long, and releases one or two seeds when ripe. The narrow oval seed is and wide, with a swelling at the apex and a short wing. Both surfaces are covered with tiny hairs. Similar species include the Wingello grevillea ("Grevillea molyneuxii"), which can be distinguished by its prominent midvein on the leaf undersurface, and the red spider-flower ("G. speciosa"), which has wider leaves with lateral veins and longer pistil. Taxonomy. The type specimen for this species was collected from the Port Jackson area (Sydney  district) and was described by botanist Robert Brown in 1810, who gave it the specific epithet "juniperina" that alludes to its juniper-like foliage. Likewise, it is commonly known as juniper- or juniper-leaf grevillea, as well as prickly spider-flower. The lectotype was selected by Don MacGillivray in 1993 from a collection by George Caley in 1803 northwest of Prospect in what is now Sydney's outer western suburbs. Brown placed it in the series "Lissostylis" in his 1810 work "Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen". English botanist and explorer Allan Cunningham collected what he called "Grevillea  sulphurea" in 1822 near Coxs River in the Bathurst area, where it grew alongside "G. rosmarinifolia" and "G. arenaria" subspecies "canescens". This was later synonymised with "G. juniperina", before being recognised as a distinct subspecies. George Bentham placed "G. juniperina" in Section "Lissostylis" in his 1870 "Flora Australiensis". This section has become the "Linearifolia" group of 45 species of shrub in southeastern Australia. Within this group, "G. juniperina" is classified in the "Speciosa" subgroup, five species of bird-pollinated grevilleas found in eastern Australia. The others are "G. molyneuxii", "G. dimorpha", "G. oleoides" and "G. speciosa". There are seven subspecies  of "Grevillea juniperina", six of which have been recognised or described by Bob Makinson of the New South Wales Herbarium in 2000: Distribution and habitat. Unlike other Proteaceae generally not found on clay soils, "Grevillea juniperina" subsp. "juniperina" is found in Cumberland Plain and Castlereagh Woodland communities on clay-loam soils, growing alongside such species as forest redgum ("Eucalyptus tereticornis"), mugga ironbark ("E. sideroxylon"), thin-leaved stringybark ("E. eugenioides"), broad-leaved red ironbark ("E. fibrosa"), grey box ("E. moluccana"), white feather honeymyrtle ("Melaleuca decora"), boxthorn ("Bursaria spinosa"), sickle wattle ("Acacia falcata") and "Dillwynia tenuifolia". "Grevillea juniperina" subsp. "sulphurea" is found  on gravelly alluvial soil alongside "Leptospermum" species, and "G. juniperina" subsp. "trinervis" is found on alluvial soil with poor drainage in woodland or along riverbanks in association with snow gum ("Eucalyptus pauciflora"), mountain gum ("E. dalrympleana"), "Dillwynia retorta" and river lomatia ("Lomatia myricoides"). The annual rainfall in regions where "G. juniperina" grows is . Ecology. Killed by bushfire, "Grevillea juniperina" regenerates afterwards by seeds that germinate after lying dormant in the soil, stimulated by exposure to heat and smoke. Plants over high produce more seed. Intervals of 10 to 15 years between fires are thought to be most beneficial for the  species' survival, as this allows seed numbers to build up in the soil over time. "Grevillea juniperina" can also colonise disturbed areas, though overgrowth of "Bursaria spinosa" can negatively impact its spread. "Grevillea juniperina" is pollinated by birds, with bees also recorded visiting flowers. The leaves are food for caterpillars of the cyprotus blue butterfly ("Candalides cyprotus"). A springtail species of Australian origin—"Calvatomina superba"—was found on "Grevillea juniperina" cultivated at the Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall. Cultivation. Allan Cunningham sent seed of "G. juniperina" to England in 1820; it was grown there the following year. Baron Charles von Hügel  grew the species in Vienna in 1831. It has been grown outdoors in southern England, particularly "G. juniperina" subspecies "sulphurea". "Grevillea juniperina" adapts easily to cultivation and grows in a wide range of soils and aspects in locations with good drainage. Long-flowering, it attracts birds such as honeyeaters with its nectar. The prickly dense foliage is also a good nesting site and shelter, particularly for smaller birds, such as finches. Many forms and hybrids have been commercially propagated and sold, some having more horticultural appeal than others. Low winter temperatures promote more prolific flowering and pruning promotes dense foliage . Plants are readily propagated by cuttings or seed, although propagation by cuttings is required to ensure the new plants have the same characteristics of the parent. Direct contact with the plant may cause a skin rash. Many cultivars have been selected for horticultural use, either selected forms or hybrids with other "Grevillea" species. One prominent early breeder was Leo Hodge of W Tree, Victoria. Hodge became interested in breeding grevilleas after finding seedlings in his garden. His first trials involved crossing "G. juniperina" with "G. victoriae", producing "G." 'Poorinda Queen', which was the first to flower, followed by "G." 'Poorinda  Constance', "G." 'Poorinda Leane' and "G." 'Poorinda Pink Coral' respectively, all in 1952. Cultivars include: