{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}} {{Speciesbox | name = Wellington mint-bush | image = Prostanthera galbraithiae.jpg | image_caption = In Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria | status = VU | status_system = EPBC | status_ref = | genus = Prostanthera | species = galbraithiae | authority = B.J.Conn<ref name=APC>{{cite web|title=''Prostanthera galbraithiae''|url= https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/169794|publisher=Australian Plant Census|access-date=31 August 2020}}</ref> | range_map = Prostanthera galbraithiaeDistA37.png | range_map_caption = Occurrence data from AVH }}
'''''Prostanthera galbraithiae''''', commonly known as '''Wellington mint-bush''',<ref name= DSE>{{cite web|author=Carter, Oberon|author2=Neville Walsh|title=National Recovery Plan for the Wellington Mint-bush ''Prostanthera galbraithiae''|publisher=Department of Sustainability and Environment|url=http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/66a59523-d038-42a4-ae55-07a8f1b33e23/files/p-galbraithiae.pdf|access-date=1 September 2020}}</ref> is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to Victoria in Australia. It is an erect or spreading shrub with densely hairy branches that are more or less square in cross-section, narrow egg-shaped or oblong leaves with the edges rolled under, and deep mauve to purple flowers with maroon dots inside the petal tube.
==Description== ''Prostanthera galbraithiae'' is an erect or spreading shrub that typically grows to a height of {{cvt|0.1–2|m}} and has densely hairy branches that are more or less square in cross-section. It has mid-green, narrow egg-shaped or oblong leaves that are aromatic when crushed, {{cvt|8–15|mm}} long, up to {{cvt|2|mm}} wide and sessile. The flowers are arranged in 8 to 24 leaf axils near the ends of the branchlets, each flower on a pedicel {{cvt|1.5–3|mm}} long. The sepals are green on the upper surface, maroon below and form a tube {{cvt|2–2.5|mm}} long with two lobes {{cvt|2–3|mm}} long. The petals are {{cvt|7–10|mm}} long, deep-mauve to purple with maroon spots in the centre and form a tube {{cvt|3–3.5|mm}} long with two lips. The lower lip has three lobes, the central lobe {{cvt|4–4.5|mm}} long and {{cvt|3.5–5|mm}} wide and the side lobes {{cvt|3.5–4|mm}} long and {{cvt|3–3.5|mm}} wide. The upper lobe is {{cvt|3.5–5|mm}} long and {{cvt|6.5–7|mm}} wide. Flowering occurs from September to October.<ref name="DSE" /><ref name="Telopea">{{cite journal |last1=Conn |first1=Barry J. |title=Contributions to the systematics of ''Prostanthera'' (Labiatae) in south-eastern Australia |journal=Telopea |date=29 May 1998 |volume=7 |issue=4 |pages=321–323 |doi=10.7751/telopea19982003|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name="RBGV">{{cite web |last1=Conn |first1=Barry J. |title=''Prostanthera galbraithiae'' |url=https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/flora/taxon/39b395b2-35c5-4a8e-920c-ba0c1cc40e19 |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria |access-date=1 September 2020}}</ref>
==Taxonomy== ''Prostanthera galbraithiae'' was first formally described by botanist Barry Conn in 1998 in the journal ''Telopea''.<ref name=APNI>{{cite web|title=''Prostanthera galbraithiae''|url= https://id.biodiversity.org.au/instance/apni/567970 |publisher=APNI|access-date=31 August 2020}}</ref> The specific epithet is named for Jean Galbraith, a member of the Latrobe Valley Field Naturalists, who co-discovered the species and advocated for its protection.<ref name="Telopea" />
==Distribution and habitat== Wellington mint-bush occurs on sandy soils over clay on the Gippsland plains in Holey Plains State Park. It is associated with ''Eucalyptus obliqua'' woodland with a heathy understorey including species such as ''Acacia oxycedrus'', ''Epacris impressa'', ''Lepidosperma concavum'', ''Leptospermum myrsinoides'' and ''Platylobium obtusangulum''.<ref name="Telopea" />
==Conservation status== This species is classified as "vulnerable" under the Australian Government ''Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999'', as "threatened" under the Victorian Government ''Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988''.<ref name="DSE" /><ref name="AS">{{cite web |title=Action Statement - Wellington mint bush (''Prostanthera galbraithiae'') |url=https://www.environment.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0027/32697/Wellington_Mint-bush_Prosthanthera_galbraithiae.pdf |publisher=Victorian Government Department of Sustainability and Environment |access-date=6 September 2023}}</ref> The main threats to the species include inappropriate fire regimes, firebreak maintenance, herbicide use and competition from bracken fern ''Pteridium esculentum''.<ref name="DSE" /> It can become locally common after fire.<ref name="Telopea" /> Fire intervals of less than 10 years may limit soil seed bank replenishment, and fire intervals greater than 20 years may diminish seedbank persistence. Low fire intensity may also limit germination of soil stored seed.<ref name="AS" />
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q7250956}}
galbraithiae Category:Flora of Victoria (state) Category:Lamiales of Australia Category:Taxa named by Barry John Conn Category:Plants described in 1998