Calothamnus validus
Calothamnus validus, commonly known as Barrens clawflower, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an upright or rounded shrub with stiff, cylindrical but not sharply pointed leaves and red, 4-part flowers. The common name derives from the location, West Mount Barren, where it was found by Spencer Moore, the author of its formal description. It is commonly cultivated and has sometimes escaped from gardens in Western Australia.
Description
Calothamnus validus grows to about tall and has leaves that are about long. The leaves are circular in cross section and taper to a point but are not prickly.The flowers are red and arranged in small clusters about long, containing usually 2 to 4 flowers. They have 4 petals and 4 claw-like bundles of stamens, all narrow and about the same length. Unlike some others in the genus, the flowers and fruit are never buried in corky bark. Flowering occurs from July to November and is followed by fruits which are woody capsules. The fruiting capsules have two prominently thickened, curved lobes.