Persoonia pauciflora

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North Rothbury persoonia
Persoonia pauciflora (6536443777).jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Proteales
Family: Proteaceae
Genus: Persoonia
Species:
P. pauciflora
Binomial name
Persoonia pauciflora
Close-up of the leaves and flowers of P. pauciflora Persoonia pauciflora 10.jpg
Close-up of the leaves and flowers of P. pauciflora

Persoonia pauciflora, commonly known as the North Rothbury persoonia, is a plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to a small area of New South Wales. It is a small, spreading shrub with bright green, thread-like leaves and a relatively small number of yellow flowers in summer. A recently described species, it is similar to P. isophylla but has fewer and shorter flowers than that species. A very restricted distribution has led to its classification as "critically endangered" under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 .

Contents

Description

Persoonia pauciflora is a spreading shrub which grows to 100–140 cm (40–60 in) high and 40–200 cm (20–80 in) wide. Its leaves and branches are moderately hairy when young and the bark is smooth and grey. Its leaves are bright green, thread-like, 17–35 mm (0.7–1 in) and less than 1 mm (0.04 in) in diameter. [2]

Flowering occurs throughout the year but peaks in the period from January to April. The flowers are few in number and arranged in groups of up to nine in leaf axils at or near the ends of the branches on a slightly hairy stalk 1–2.5 mm (0.04–0.1 in) long. Each individual flower consists of a cylindrical perianth that splits into four segments or tepals, and contains both male and female parts. Within this, the central style is surrounded by the anther, which splits into four segments; these curl back and resemble a cross when viewed from above. [3] They provide a landing area for insects attending to the stigma, which is located at the tip of the style. [4] The tepals are 4.5–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) slightly hairy and dull yellow. Flowering is followed by the development of fruit, which are green or reddish-green oval, glabrous drupes, 9–11 mm (0.35–0.43 in) long and about 15 mm (0.6 in) wide. [2] [5] [6]

Taxonomy and naming

Ecological consultant Gordon Patrick came across the then-unknown shrub in the North Rothbury area of the Hunter Valley in September 1997. What was to become the type specimen was collected in January 1998 by Patrick and Peter Weston, and lodged at the New South Wales Herbarium. [5] The new species was described as Persoonia pauciflora in 1999 by Weston and the description was published in Telopea . [1] [5] The generic name Persoonia is derived from the name of South African botanist Christiaan Hendrik Persoon. [7] The specific epithet (pauciflora) is from the Latin words paucus meaning "few" or "little" [8] :489 and flos meaning "flower" or "blossom" [8] :338 referring to the small number of flowers of this species, easily distinguishing it from others in the genus. [5]

It is classified within the genus as within the Lanceolata group, which consists of 58 closely related species with similar flowers but very different foliage. These species will often interbreed with each other in areas where two members of the group occur. [3] Based on leaf shape, its closest relatives appear to be Persoonia isophylla and Persoonia pinifolia . However unlike those two species, it grows on heavier, clay-based soils rather than sandstone soils. [5]

Distribution and habitat

The North Rothbury persoonia grows on clay soils in dry sclerophyll forest or woodland, under broad-leaved red ironbark ( Eucalyptus fibrosa ), grey box ( E. moluccana ), grey gum ( E. punctata ), and spotted gum ( Corymbia maculata ), with an understorey of shrubs and grasses. [5] It only occurs in the North Rothbury area and occupies an area of only 2.5 km2 (600 acres) and linear range of 4.3 km (2.7 mi). [2] [6] All specimens have been found within 2.5 km (1.6 mi) of the original collection. [9]

Ecology

This persoonia lacks a lignotuber and since other smooth-barked persoonias such as P. mollis are killed by fire, it is likely that this species only reproduces from seed. New plants are produced from long-lived seed stored in the ground. Plants do not produce viable seed until they are at least eighteen months to three years old and have a lifespan of seven to twelve years. Many kinds of insects visit the flowers but which species pollinate the flowers is not known. The fruit is thought to be eaten by large birds such as currawongs and by larger mammals which then disperse the seed in their droppings. The seeds have a hard coat and the trigger for germination is not known, although new plants often appear after heavy rain. [6]

Staff at the Mount Annan Botanic Garden who have been researching the factors affecting persoonia germination, have discovered that a bowerbird was taking the fruit of P. pauciflora from their experiments, offering a possible insight into how bird scat affects germination. [10]

Conservation

Fewer than 400 mature individual plants of P. pauciflora remain in two populations and a further 107 seedlings and immature plants were recorded in 2016. The main threats to the species are habitat loss and fragmentation due to clearing for residential development, illegal clearing and picking, and habitat degradation resulting from grazing and slashing. P. pauciflora is classified as an "endangered species" under the New South Wales Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 and as "critically endangered" under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. [2] [6] [9]

Related Research Articles

Persoonia micranthera, commonly known as the small-flowered snottygobble, is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to a restricted area in the south-west of Western Australia. It is a low-lying to prostrate shrub with branchlets that are hairy when young, spatula-shaped to lance-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, hairy yellow flowers borne in groups of four to fifteen, and smooth, oval fruit.

<i>Persoonia myrtilloides</i> Species of flowering plant

Persoonia myrtilloides, commonly known as myrtle geebung, is a plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It is an erect to spreading shrub with elliptic to egg-shaped leaves and yellow flowers in groups of up to forty on a rachis up to 170 mm (6.7 in) long.

<i>Persoonia glaucescens</i> Species of flowering plant

Persoonia glaucescens, commonly known as the Mittagong geebung, is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It is an erect shrub with smooth bark, hairy young branchlets, lance-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and yellow flowers. It is the only persoonia in eastern Australia with strongly glaucous leaves.

Persoonia katerae is a plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to a small area on the coast of New South Wales. It is an erect shrub to small tree with smooth bark on the branches, narrow elliptic to lance-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and yellow flowers in groups of six to twenty-two on a rachis 30–160 mm (1.2–6.3 in) long.

<i>Persoonia procumbens</i> Species of shrub

Persoonia procumbens is a plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to part of the New England Tableland. It is a prostrate shrub with rather fleshy, relatively large leaves and small groups of cylindrical yellow flowers. It is similar to P. daphnoides but has darker hairs on the young branches and smaller, less hairy flowers.

<i>Persoonia bargoensis</i> Species of flowering plant

Persoonia bargoensis, commonly known as the Bargo geebung, is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to a restricted area of New South Wales. It is an erect shrub with linear to lance-shaped leaves, yellow, tube-shaped flowers and green, pear-shaped fruit.

<i>Persoonia asperula</i> Species of flowering plant

Persoonia asperula, commonly known as mountain geebung, is a plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is an erect or prostrate shrub with smooth bark, mostly elliptic to oblong leaves and yellow flowers borne singly or in groups of up to nine. It mostly occurs in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales. A small population in Victoria may be a different species.

Persoonia pertinax is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is an erect to spreading shrub with hairy young branchlets, twisted linear leaves, and hairy yellow flowers borne in groups of up to ten on a rachis up to 60 mm (2.4 in) long.

<i>Persoonia isophylla</i> Species of shrub

Persoonia isophylla is a plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It is an erect or spreading shrub with soft, pine-like leaves and groups of cylindrical yellow flowers. It is similar to P. pinifolia but the flowers of that species have small leaves at their base, where the flowers of P. isophylla have full-sized leaves at their base. The two species sometimes grow together but hybrids between them are rare.

<i>Persoonia conjuncta</i> Species of flowering plant

Persoonia conjuncta is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to eastern New South Wales. It is an erect shrub or small tree with narrow elliptic to lance-shaped leaves, yellow, tube-shaped flowers in groups of up to sixteen and green fruit.

<i>Persoonia oleoides</i> Species of flowering plant

Persoonia oleoides is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to north-eastern New South Wales. It is an erect to low-lying shrub with oblong to egg-shaped leaves and yellow flowers in groups of up to twenty-five on a rachis up to 130 mm (5.1 in) long.

<i>Persoonia cuspidifera</i> Species of flowering plant

Persoonia cuspidifera is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to northern New South Wales. It is an erect shrub with spatula-shaped leaves and greenish yellow, tube-shaped flowers in groups of up to twenty-five.

Persoonia bowgada is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect to spreading shrub with smooth bark, more or less cylindrical leaves and yellow flowers in groups of up to ten on the ends of branches.

<i>Persoonia brevifolia</i> Species of flowering plant

Persoonia brevifolia is a plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to a restricted area near the border between south-eastern New South Wales and Victoria. It is an erect shrub with elliptic to egg-shaped leaves and cylindrical yellow flowers arranged singly in leaf axils.

<i>Persoonia acuminata</i> Species of shrub

Persoonia acuminata is a plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It is a spreading or prostrate shrub with relatively small leaves and cylindrical yellow flowers arranged singly or in groups of up to sixteen in leaf axils or on the ends of the branches. It grows in moist forest on the higher parts of the tablelands.

<i>Persoonia rufa</i> Species of flowering plant

Persoonia rufa is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the a restricted area of New South Wales. It is an erect to spreading shrub with hairy young branchlets, elliptic leaves, and yellow flowers borne in groups of up to twelve on a rachis up to 110 mm (4.3 in), each flower with a leaf at its base.

Persoonia volcanica is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is an erect shrub with hairy young branchlets, egg-shaped to oblong leaves, and yellow flowers borne in groups of up to twenty on a rachis up to 180 mm (7.1 in) that usually continues to grow after flowering, each flower with a leaf at its base.

Persoonia biglandulosa is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, spreading or low-lying shrub with smooth bark, linear leaves and bright yellow flowers in groups of between eight and twenty-five on the ends of branches.

Persoonia kararae is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the Perenjori district of Western Australia. It is an erect, spreading shrub with densely hairy branchlets, linear leaves and yellow flowers in goups of up to ten on a rachis up to 10 mm (0.39 in) long.

<i>Persoonia hindii</i> Species of shrub

Persoonia hindii is a plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to a small area of New South Wales near Lithgow. It is a shrub with an underground stolon from which new stems arise and has succulent, linear to oblong leaves and deep yellow flowers.

References

  1. 1 2 "Persoonia pauciflora". APNI. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Persoonia pauciflora - endangered species listing". Government of New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  3. 1 2 Weston, Peter H. (2003). "Proteaceae subfamily Persoonioideae: Botany of the Geebungs, Snottygobbles and their Relatives". Australian Plants . 22 (175): 62–78 [70]. ISSN   0005-0008.
  4. ↑ Wrigley, John; Fagg, Murray (1991). Banksias, Waratahs and Grevilleas. Sydney: Angus & Robertson. pp. 475–76. ISBN   0-207-17277-3.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Weston, Peter H. (1999). "Persoonia pauciflora (Proteaceae), a new species from the Hunter Valley, New South Wales". Telopea. 8 (2): 159–164.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "National Recovery Plan North Rothbury Persoonia Persoonia pauciflora" (PDF). Australian Government Department of the Environment. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  7. ↑ "Persoonia chamaepitys". anbg.gov.au. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  8. 1 2 Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
  9. 1 2 "Threatened species information - Persoonia pauciflora" (PDF). New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  10. ↑ "Who's stealing our Persoonia?". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
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