Grevillea sarissa
Introduction Subsp. ''sarissa'' near the Karroun Hill Nature Reserve'''''Grevillea sarissa''''', commonly known as '''wheel grevillea''', is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is native to South Australia and Western Australia. It is a spreading shrub, usually with linear leaves, and more or less erect, wheel-like to more or less spherical clusters of red or yellow flowers.
Description ''Grevillea sarissa'' is a shrub that typically grows to a height of . Its leaves are usually linear,  long and  wide, or rarely, divided with 2 or 3 linear lobes  long. The edges of the leaves are rolled under, obscuring the lower surface, apart from the midvein. The flowers are arranged on the ends of branches, in leaf axils, or often on the stems, in more or less erect, wheel-like to more or less spherical clusters on a rachis  long with bracts  long at the base. Flower colour varies with subspecies, the pistil  long. Flowering time varies with subspecies and the fruit is an elliptic follicle  long.
Taxonomy ''Grevillea sarissa'' was first formally described in 1899 by Spencer Le Marchant Moore, his description published in ''Journal of the Linnean Society, Botany''.In 1986, Donald McGillivray describe 6 subspecies of ''G. sarissa'' in his book ''New Names in Grevillea (Proteaceae)'' and the names are accepted by the Australian Plant Census:* ''Grevillea sarissa'' subsp. ''anfractifolia'' McGill. has dull red and cream-coloured flowers with a dark red, green-tipped style, from September to November. * ''Grevillea sarissa'' subsp. ''bicolor'' McGill. has dull pinkish red and pale yellowish cream flowers with a red or yellowish cream, green- to yellow-tipped style, in March and October. * ''Grevillea sarissa'' subsp. ''rectitepala'' McGill. has red and cream-coloured flowers with a red, pale green-tipped style, from September to December.Subsp. ''rectitepala'' in the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan* ''Grevillea sarissa''  S.Moore subsp. ''sarissa'' has red and cream-coloured flowers with a red, pale green-tipped style, from September to December. * ''Grevillea sarissa'' subsp. ''succincta'' McGill. has red to deep pink and white, sometimes pale cream-coloured flowers with a similarly coloured style, from August to November. * ''Grevillea sarissa'' subsp. ''umbellifera'' McGill. has dull, pinkish red and white or pale cream-coloured flowers with a red, green-tipped style, from September to January.
Distribution and habitat Subspecies ''anfractifolia'' grows in mallee woodland or shrubland, often near salt lakes, and is found between Norseman, Balladonia Coolgardie and Queen Victoria Spring in the Coolgardie, Great Victoria Desert, Mallee, Murchison and Nullarbor bioregions of inland Western Australia.Subspecies ''bicolor'' grows in shrubland on sand dunes between Cue, Lake Austin and Wiluna in the Coolgardie, Great Victoria Desert and Murchison bioregions.Subspecies ''rectitepala'' grows in open mallee or shrubland, and is only known from a few collections between Comet Vale and Cundeelee in the Coolgardie, Great Victoria Desert and Murchison bioregions.Subspecies ''sarissa'' is mainly found in open shrubland, often on dunes near salt lakes, and is widespread between Jibberding, Mount Magnet, Lake Seabrook, Laverton and Queen Victoria Spring, in the Avon Wheatbelt, Coolgardie, Great Victoria Desert, Murchison and Yalgoo bioregions of south-western Western Australia.Subspecies ''succincta'' mainly grows in chenopod shrubland, often near clay pans or salt lakes, and is restricted to the area around Wiluna in the Gascoyne and Murchison bioregions.Subspecies ''umbellifera'' grows in shrubland, often near salt lakes, and is found between Koonibba and Karcultaby on the Eyre Peninsula of South Australia.
Conservation status All five subspecies of ''G. sarissa'' found in Western Australia are listed as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
See also *List of ''Grevillea'' species
References