{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2024}} {{About|a plant|the locality|Crowea, Western Australia}} {{Automatic taxobox | image = Crowea exalata.jpg | image_caption = ''Crowea exalata'' | taxon = Crowea | authority = Sm.<ref name=APC>{{cite web|title=''Crowea''|url= https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/86715|publisher=Australian Plant Census|access-date=20 November 2020}}</ref> | type_species = ''Crowea saligna'' <small>Andrews</small> |synonyms_ref = <ref name="APC" /> |synonyms = * ''Crowea'' sect. ''Eucrowea'' <small>Baill. nom. inval.</small> * ''Eriostemon'' sect. ''Crowea'' <small>(Sm.) F.Muell.</small> | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = * ''C. angustifolia'' <small>Sm.</small> * ''C. exalata'' <small>F.Muell.</small> * ''C. saligna'' <small>Andrews</small> }} '''''Crowea''''' is a genus of small evergreen shrubs in the family Rutaceae, sometimes known as '''waxflowers'''. There are three species and many subspecies and cultivars, all of which are popular as ornamentals because of their abundant, attractive flowers which often occur during autumn and winter. ''Crowea'' species are all endemic to Australia, where they occur in Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia.<ref name="ANPSA">{{cite web|title=The adaptable and rewarding ''Crowea''|url=http://anpsa.org.au/APOL18/jun00-5.html|publisher=Australian Native Plants Society Australia|access-date=14 July 2017}}</ref><ref name=ANBG>{{cite web|title=Growing Native Plants - ''Crowea exalata''|url=http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/gnp3/crowea-exalata.html|publisher=Australian National Botanic Gardens|date=1973|access-date=15 January 2015}}</ref>
==Description== Croweas are evergreen shrubs to about 1.5 m tall. The leaves are simple, glabrous and, as with other members of the Rutaceae, have oil glands and are aromatic.<ref name=Rutaceae>{{cite web|title=Flora of Australia online - Rutaceae|url=http://www.anbg.gov.au/abrs/online-resources/flora/stddisplay.xsql?pnid=24012|publisher=Australian National Botanic Gardens|access-date=15 January 2015}}</ref> The flowers occur singly in the axils of the leaves, are pink and star-shaped have five petals, five sepals and ten stamens in two rings around the ovary. ''Crowea'' are closely related, and the flowers similar in appearance to those of other member of the family Rutaceae, especially ''Philotheca'', ''Eriostemon'' and ''Boronia''.<ref name="ANPSA"/>
==Taxonomy and naming== The genus was described and named by James Edward Smith in 1798<ref name=Tropicos>{{cite web|title=Tropicos - ''Crowea'' (Sm.)|url=http://www.tropicos.org/Name/40017001|publisher=Missouri Botanical Garden|access-date=15 January 2015}}</ref> and was named "to honour James Crowe esq., F.L.S. of Lakenham, near Norwich, who died Jan 16, 1807 aged 56. This gentleman was extremely well versed in the botany of Britain, more especially in the genus ''Salix'', to which he paid particular attention, having collected and cultivated all the species he could possibly procure. The specific name of the original species, ''Crowea saligna'' alludes to Mr. Crowe's merits in this department".<ref name=Wilkes>{{cite book|last1=Wilkes|first1=John|title=Encyclopaedia Londinensis Volume XX|year=1825|publisher=John Wilkes|page=264|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AFwMAQAAMAAJ&dq=crowea+angustifolia&pg=PA264|access-date=1 March 2015}}</ref>
The three species are accepted by the Australian Plant Census as at November 2020: * ''Crowea angustifolia'' <small>Sm.</small><ref name=APC1>{{cite web|title=''Crowea angustifolia''|url= https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/86750|publisher=Australian Plant Census|access-date=20 November 2020}}</ref> - Western Australia * ''Crowea exalata'' <small>F.Muell.</small><ref name=APC2>{{cite web|title=''Crowea exalata''|url= https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/86803|publisher=Australian Plant Census|access-date=20 November 2020}}</ref> - Queensland, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory and Victoria * ''Crowea saligna'' <small>Andrews</small><ref name=APC3>{{cite web|title=''Crowea saligna''|url= https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/86846|publisher=Australian Plant Census|access-date=20 November 2020}}</ref> - New South Wales
==Propagation and cultivation== Croweas are hardy in cultivation, moderately tolerant of frost, growing best in a well-drained mulch in partial shade. Propagation is easiest from cuttings.<ref name="Wrigley and Fagg">{{cite book|last1=Wrigley|first1=John W|last2=Fagg|first2=Murray|title=Australian native plants|date=2013|publisher=Reed New Holland|location=Chatswood, N.S.W.|isbn=9781921517150|edition=6th}}</ref>
==In popular culture== '''Crowea''' is the title of a waltz composed 1919 by Western Australian musician Fred Barwick.<ref>{{Citation | title=Crowea (Australian wildflower) waltz for piano [music] / by F.W. Barwick | author1=Barwick, F. W | year=1920 | publisher=Nicholsons | language=English | url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-166353901 }}</ref>
==References== {{Commons category|position=left}} {{Reflist}}
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Category:Zanthoxyloideae Category:Zanthoxyloideae genera Category:Endemic flora of Australia Category:Flora of Victoria (state) Category:Flora of New South Wales Category:Rosids of Western Australia