{{Short description|Species of shrub}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}} {{Speciesbox |name = |image = Thomasia paniculata 01.jpg |genus = Thomasia |species = paniculata |authority = Lindl.<ref name="APC">{{cite web |title=''Thomasia paniculata'' |url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/65703 |publisher=Australian Plant Census |access-date=1 September 2022}}</ref> |}}
'''''Thomasia paniculata''''' is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a spreading shrub with heart-shaped to narrowly egg-shaped leaves and pinkish-mauve flowers.
==Description== ''Thomasia paniculata'' is a spreading shrub that typically grows to {{cvt|0.3–2|m}} high and {{cvt|1.0–1.5|m}} wide, its new growth densely covered with star-shaped hairs. The leaves are heart-shaped to narrowly egg-shaped, {{cvt|30–100|mm}} long and {{cvt|8–20|mm}} wide on a petiole {{cvt|8–13|mm}} long with rounded to wing-like stipules at the base of the petioles. The edges of the leaves are regularly notched and both sides are covered with scattered star-shaped hairs. The flowers are up to {{cvt|13|mm}} in diameter and arranged in racemes of 3 to 8 on a peduncle up to {{cvt|80|mm}} long. Each flower is on a pedicel {{cvt|3–5|mm}} long with densely hairy, linear bracts and similar bracteoles {{cvt|4–8|mm}} long at the base. The sepals are pinkish-mauve, densely covered with star-shaped hairs and joined for about half their length. Flowering occurs from September to December or from January to March.<ref name="Blake">{{cite book |last1=Blake |first1=Trevor L. |title=Lantern bushes of Australia; Thomasias & allied genera : a field and horticultural guide |date=2021 |publisher=Australian Plants Society, Keilor Plains Group |location=Victoria |isbn=9780646839301 |pages=42–43}}</ref><ref name=FB>{{FloraBase|id=5091|name=''Thomasia paniculata''}}</ref>
==Taxonomy== ''Thomasia paniculata'' was first formally described in 1839 by John Lindley in ''A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony''.<ref name="APNI">{{cite web |title=''Thomasia paniculata'' |url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/rest/instance/apni/472908 |publisher=Australian Plant Name Index |access-date=25 January 2023}}</ref><ref name="Lindl.">{{cite book |last1=Lindley |first1=John |title=A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony |date=1839 |publisher=James Ridgway |location=London |page=xviii |url=https://archive.org/details/sketchvegetatio00goog/page/n26/mode/2up |access-date=25 January 2023}}</ref> The specific epithet (''paniculata'') refers to the branching habit of some of the flowering racemes.<ref name="Blake" />
==Distribution and habitat== This thomasia usually grows as an understorey plant in moist places in karri, jarrah and tingle forest, mainly between Perth and Albany in the Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest, Swan Coastal Plain and Warren bioregions of south-western Western Australia.<ref name="Blake" /><ref name="FB" />
==Conservation status== ''Thomasia paniculata'' is listed as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.<ref name="FB" />
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q51047062}}
Category:Rosids of Western Australia Category:Plants described in 1839 paniculata Category:Taxa named by John Lindley Category:Endemic flora of Southwest Australia