Persoonia terminalis

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Persoonia terminalis
Persoonia terminalis ssp terminalis, Australian National Botanic Garden, Canberra, ACT, 04-02-12 (6805661222).jpg
P. t. terminalis at the Australian National Botanic Gardens
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Proteales
Family: Proteaceae
Genus: Persoonia
Species:
P. terminalis
Binomial name
Persoonia terminalis
L.A.S.Johnson & P.H.Weston
Subspecies
  • P. t. subsp. recurva
  • P. t. subsp. terminalis
Synonyms [1]

Persoonia nutans subsp. DP.H.Weston

Persoonia terminalis, also known as the Torrington geebung, is a shrub belonging to the family Proteaceae, and native to northern New South Wales and southern Queensland in eastern Australia. [2] Reported as a subspecies of Persoonia nutans in 1981, it was described as a species by Lawrie Johnson and his colleague Peter Weston in 1991.

Contents

Two subspecies‍—‌P. t. terminalis and P. t. recurva‍—‌are recognised; both are found on well-drained acidic soils in sclerophyll forests, and P. t. terminalis is also found on granite outcrops. Although similar in appearance, they differ in leaf length and curvature. Both have a restricted range, with P. t. terminalis found in an area of under 100 square kilometres (39 square miles; 25,000 acres).

P. terminalis grows to 1.5 metres (5 feet), with an upright or spreading habit, and narrow short leaves up to 1 centimetre (0.4 inches) in length. The yellow flowers mainly appear in December and January (Australia's temperate zone summer), [3] and are followed by purple-striped green drupes (stone fruit). The fruit of persoonias are edible, and dispersed by wild vertebrates.

Taxonomy

Persoonia terminalis was first reported by Lawrie Johnson of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney, in the 1981 edition of Flora of New South Wales. [4] He viewed it as a distinctive subspecies of Persoonia nutans , [a] a broadly defined species that included many forms since classified as distinct. [5] Queensland botanists Trevor Donald Stanley and Estelle M. Ross classed P. terminalis as part of Persoonia oxycoccoides in their 1983 work Flora of South-eastern Queensland. [6] They considered it more likely a species in its own right, [5] as they believed the description of the Queensland populations did not match the P. oxycoccoides from central New South Wales. [6] Upon re-examining Persoonia nutans and Persoonia oxycoccoides, Johnson and Peter Weston concluded that there were in fact several distinct species, and that Persoonia terminalis was described as such in 1991. The type specimen was collected 3.4 kilometres (2.1 mi) south of the Torrington pub on the Emmaville–Torrington road by Weston and ecologist Peter Richards, [7] and is now housed in the National Herbarium of New South Wales, which is part of the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust Sydney and Office of Environment and Heritage. The Herbarium houses over 1.2 million other specimens. [2] [8] The generic name Persoonia is derived from the name of South African botanist Christiaan Hendrik Persoon. [9] The specific name terminalis refers to the inflorescences (clusters of flowers) that are in this species at the ends of the branchlets. [5] Its common name is the Torrington geebung. [10]

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. [11] P. terminalis has been reported to interbreed with Persoonia cornifolia and Persoonia sericea , [12] two other members of the group. [11]

Two subspecies are recognised: P. t. subsp. recurva has shorter leaves, with margins more curved downwards, that reach a maximum of 0.75 centimetres (0.30 in) in length, while P. t. subsp. terminalis has longer, straighter leaves measuring a maximum of 1 centimetre (0.4 in) long. [12]

Description

Persoonia terminalis subsp. recurva Persoonia terminalis ssp recurva, Australian National Botanic Garden, Canberra, ACT, 23-12-14 (16731755955).jpg
Persoonia terminalis subsp. recurva

Persoonia terminalis grows as a shrub reaching a height of 0.7–1.5 metres (2+1⁄4–5 ft), with an upright or spreading habit. It has smooth bark, [2] although new growth is covered in fine hair. The small, narrow leaves are 1.2–2 millimetres (1⁄16–3⁄32 inch) wide and 3.5–10 millimetres (1⁄8–3⁄8 in) long, with a convex upper surface and margins curved downwards. New leaves can be hairless or slightly hairy; if the latter, they lose the hair with age. They are concolorous ‍—‌that is, both leaf surfaces are the same colour, or slightly discolorous (surfaces slightly different). [7] The leaves are rougher than those of other persoonias. [5]

The yellow flowers mainly appear in December and January (summer in the temperate zone of Australia), [3] although occasional flowers have been seen as late as July. [7] They are terminal, that is, arising at the ends of branchlets, where they appear in groups of one to five. P. terminalis is described as mostly anauxotelic, which means each stalk bears an individual flower that is subtended by a scale leaf at its junction with the stem. A proportion of flowers have a true leaf at this junction instead, and are described as auxotelic. [5] 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. [11] They provide a landing area for insects attending to the stigma, which is located at the tip of the style. [13] Flowers are followed by the development of the fleshy purple-striped green drupes. [5] These are 1–1.2 centimetres (3⁄8–1⁄2 in) long by 0.7–0.8 centimetres (1⁄4–3⁄8 in) wide, with the remnant style at the end. [6]

Distribution and habitat

New South Wales in Australia.svg
Persooniaterminalisrgemap.png
The plant grows in the temperate zone of the Australian state of New South Wales (red, above) and in the more specific region of New England (range marked in green) along its Northern Tablelands.

Persoonia t. subsp. terminalis is found in the Torrington-Binghi area on the western parts of the far Northern Tablelands in New South Wales, roughly halfway between Glen Innes and the Queensland border, at an altitude of between 900 and 1,100 metres (3,000 and 3,600 ft) above sea level. It grows on acidic, sandy or stony granite soils in dry sclerophyll forest. [5] The region is dotted with granite outcrops, where the subspecies is a component of Babingtonia odontocalyx – Brachyloma saxicola shrubland and Prostanthera staurophylla – Kunzea bracteolata low shrubland in the Torrington area, and Allocasuarina brachystachya shrubland in the Severn River Reserve. [14] It is rated 2R [b] on the ROTAP list. [16]

Persoonia t. subsp. recurva has two disjunct populations. One is found on the North Western Slopes in New South Wales, near Warialda north west of Inverell, and the other is southwest of Inglewood in southeastern Queensland, between 350 and 450 metres (1,150 and 1,480 ft) above sea level. It grows on acidic sandstone-based sandy soils in dry sclerophyll forest. [5] Within the Warialda State Conservation Area, it is found in black cypress pine ( Callitris endlicheri )‍—‌dirty gum ( Eucalyptus chloroclada ) woodland and smooth-barked apple ( Angophora leiocarpa )‍—‌black cypress pine woodland. [10] Although P. t. recurva has not been recorded from Kings Plains National Park, it could be expected to be found there due to the availability of suitable habitat. [17] It is rated as 3R [c] on the ROTAP list. [16]

Both subspecies are commonly found near the Severn River Nature Preserve, [18] as well as in the Arakoola Nature Reserve, where they are components of a woodland ecological community dominated by smooth-barked apple and long-fruited bloodwood ( Corymbia dolichocarpa ), which grows on sandstone soils. [19]

Ecology

Persoonia terminalis grows in a bushfire-prone habitat, where fire is essential for many species to regenerate. P. t. terminalis is killed by bushfire and regenerates from seed, [20] which lies dormant in the soil. [21] Large numbers of Persoonia seedlings appear after fire. [11] However, rocky outcrop habitat is vulnerable to fires occurring at too-frequent intervals of less than five years, which puts many species that regenerate by seed at risk of local extinction as plants are unable to mature to set seed before the next fire. [20]

Colletid bees of subgenus Cladocerapis within the genus Leioproctus exclusively forage on and pollinate flowers of many species of Persoonia. Bees of subgenus Filiglossa in the same genus also specialise in feeding on Persoonia flowers, but do not appear to be effective pollinators. The fruit are adapted to be eaten by vertebrates, such as kangaroos and possums, as well as currawongs and other large birds. [11]

Cultivation potential

Horticulturists and scientists Rodger Elliot and David L. Jones have proposed that cultivating the plant would aid in its conservation. Cultivating the plant would most likely require good water drainage, a sunny or part-shaded position and acidic soil. P. terminalis is hardy to heavy frosts, and is expected to fare better in a temperate rather than subtropical garden climate. Propagation would theoretically be by seed or by taking cuttings of new growth, [22] though plants of the genus Persoonia are generally difficult to propagate by any means in cultivation. [9]

Notes

  1. ↑ Persoonia nutans subsp. D [1]
  2. ↑ The '2' indicates it has a range of under 100 square kilometres (39 sq mi). [15]
  3. ↑ The 'R' signifies the taxon as rare but with no current identifiable threat, and the '3' indicates it has a range of over 100 km, though in small populations. [15]

Related Research Articles

<i>Persoonia</i> Genus of shrubs and small trees in the family Proteaceae

Persoonia, commonly known as geebungs or snottygobbles, is a genus of about one hundred species of flowering plants in the family Proteaceae. Plants in the genus Persoonia are shrubs or small trees usually with smooth bark, simple leaves and usually yellow flowers arranged along a raceme, each flower with a leaf or scale leaf at the base. The fruit is a drupe.

<i>Grevillea laurifolia</i> Species of shrub in the family Proteaceae endemic to eastern Australia

Grevillea laurifolia, commonly known as laurel-leaf grevillea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae. It is endemic to New South Wales, Australia. It is a prostrate, trailing shrub with egg-shaped, heart-shaped or round leaves, and clusters of reddish to deep maroon flowers.

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

Persoonia nutans, commonly known as the nodding geebung, is a plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to part of the Sydney region in New South Wales. It is an erect to spreading shrub with linear leaves and yellow flowers on down-turned pedicels.

<i>Persoonia levis</i> Shrub in the family Proteaceae native to New South Wales and Victoria in eastern Australia

Persoonia levis, commonly known as the broad-leaved geebung, is a shrub native to New South Wales and Victoria in eastern Australia. It reaches 5 m (16 ft) in height and has dark grey papery bark and bright green asymmetrical sickle-shaped leaves up to 14 cm (5.5 in) long and 8 cm (3.2 in) wide. The small yellow flowers appear in summer and autumn, followed by small green fleshy fruit, which are classified as drupes. Within the genus Persoonia, it is a member of the Lanceolata group of 58 closely related species. P. levis interbreeds with several other species where they grow together.

<i>Persoonia linearis</i> Shrub in the family Proteaceae native to New South Wales and Victoria in eastern Australia

Persoonia linearis, commonly known as the narrow-leaved geebung, is a shrub native to New South Wales and Victoria in eastern Australia. It reaches 3 m (9.8 ft), or occasionally 5 m (16 ft), in height and has thick, dark grey papery bark. The leaves are, as the species name suggests, more or less linear in shape, and are up to 9 cm (3.5 in) long, and 0.1 to 0.7 cm wide. The small yellow flowers appear in summer, autumn and early winter, followed by small green fleshy fruit known as drupes. Within the genus Persoonia, it is a member of the Lanceolata group of 58 closely related species. P. linearis interbreeds with several other species where they grow together.

<i>Persoonia lanceolata</i> Shrub in the family Proteaceae native to New South Wales in eastern Australia

Persoonia lanceolata, commonly known as lance-leaf geebung, is a shrub native to New South Wales in eastern Australia. It reaches 3 m (10 ft) in height and has smooth grey bark and bright green foliage. Its small yellow flowers grow on racemes and appear in the austral summer and autumn, followed by green fleshy fruits which ripen the following spring. Within the genus Persoonia, P. lanceolata belongs to the lanceolata group of 58 closely related species. It interbreeds with several other species found in its range.

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

Persoonia juniperina, commonly known as prickly geebung, is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a small erect to low-lying shrub with smooth bark, hairy new branches, linear leaves, yellow flowers borne singly or in groups of up to forty in leaf axils, and yellowish green to purplish fruit.

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

Persoonia laurina, commonly known as the laurel-leaved or laurel geebung, is a shrub of the family Proteaceae native to central New South Wales in eastern Australia. Found in sclerophyll forest, it grows to a height of 2 metres. The yellow flowers appear in late spring.

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

Persoonia chamaepitys, commonly known as the prostrate- or mountain geebung, is a shrub endemic to New South Wales in eastern Australia. It has a prostrate habit, reaching only 20 cm (7.9 in) high but spreading up to 2 m (6.6 ft) across, with bright green spine-like leaves and small yellow flowers appearing in summer and autumn.

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

Persoonia oxycoccoides is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to New South Wales, Australia. It is a spreading to prostrate shrub with smooth bark, hairy young branchlets, elliptic to egg-shaped leaves and yellow flowers arranged in groups of up to thirteen along a rachis that continues to grow after flowering.

<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.

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

Persoonia hirsuta, commonly known as the hairy geebung or hairy persoonia, is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae. It is endemic to eastern New South Wales, Australia. It is a hairy, spreading to low-lying shrub with linear, lance-shaped or spatula-shaped leaves and yellow or orange flowers arranged singly or in groups of up to ten on a rachis up to 20 mm (0.79 in) long.

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

Persoonia mollis, commonly known as soft geebung, is a plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It is an erect to prostrate shrub with linear to oblong or spatula-shaped leaves, yellow flowers in groups of up to thirty on a rachis up to 150 mm (5.9 in) long and relatively small fruit.

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

Persoonia prostrata is a plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the northern tip of K'gari in Queensland, but is presumed to be extinct. It is similar to Persoonia stradbrokensis but is a prostrate shrub with smaller leaves and 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 falcata</i> Species of shrub

Persoonia falcata, commonly known as the wild pear, is a shrub native to northern Australia.

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

Persoonia media is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is an erect to spreading shrub or tree with branchlets and leaves that are glabrous or only sparsely hairy, elliptic to egg-shaped and up to sixteen yellow flowers on a rachis up to 150 mm (5.9 in) long.

<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.

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

Persoonia tenuifolia, commonly known as fine-leaf geebung is a plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is an erect to low-lying shrub with hairy young branchlets, linear leaves, and yellow flowers in groups of up to eight on a rachis 2–30 mm (0.079–1.181 in) long that continues to grow after flowering.

References

  1. 1 2 Weston, P.H. (2002). Harding, G.J. (ed.). Flora of New South Wales. Vol. 2. UNSW Press. ISBN   978-0-86840-609-1 . Retrieved 1 November 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 "Holotype of Persoonia terminalis L.A.S. Johnson & P.H. Weston [family PROTEACEAE]". Herbarium Specimens. Global Plants. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Australian weather and seasons – a variety of climates". australia.gov.au. Archived from the original on 4 November 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
  4. ↑ The citation is collected in Flora of New South Wales, Volume 2, ISBN   0-86840-609-0, p. 14
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Weston, Peter H.; Johnson, Lawrence Alexander Sydney (1991). "Taxonomic changes in Persoonia (Proteaceae) in New South Wales". Telopea. 4 (2): 369–406 [281–283]. doi: 10.7751/telopea19914929 .
  6. 1 2 3 Stanley, Trevor Donald; Ross, Estelle M. (1983). Flora of South-eastern Queensland. Brisbane, Queensland: Queensland Dept. of Primary Industries. p. 8.
  7. 1 2 3 "Persoonia terminalis L.A.S. Johnson & P.H. Weston". Flora of Australia Online. Department of the Environment and Heritage, Australian Government.
  8. ↑ "National Herbarium of New South Wales". anbg.gov.au. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  9. 1 2 "Persoonia chamaepitys". anbg.gov.au. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  10. 1 2 Hunter, John T. (2009). Vegetation and flora of the Stonehenge section of the Warialda State Conservation Area: A Report to the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service (Report). doi:10.13140/RG.2.1.1239.9201.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 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.
  12. 1 2 P.H. Weston. "New South Wales Flora Online: Persoonia terminalis". Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney, Australia.
  13. ↑ Wrigley, John; Fagg, Murray (1991). Banksias, Waratahs and Grevilleas. Sydney: Angus & Robertson. pp. 475–476. ISBN   978-0-207-17277-9.
  14. ↑ Hunter, John T.; Clarke, Peter J. (1998). "The vegetation of granitic outcrop communities on the New England Batholith of eastern Australia" (PDF). Cunninghamia. 5 (3): 547–615. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 June 2014.
  15. 1 2 Walters, Brian (February 2010). "Threatened Flora Lists". ANPSA website. Australian Native Plants Society (Australia). Archived from the original on 19 November 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  16. 1 2 "PlantNET – FloraOnline". nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
  17. ↑ Hunter, John T. (2000). Flora Survey of Kings Plains National Park: A Report to the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service (Report). doi:10.13140/RG.2.1.1740.2724.
  18. ↑ Hunter, John T.; Clarke, Peter J. (1998). "The Vegetation of Granitic Outcrop Communities on the New England Batholith of Eastern Australia" (PDF). Cunninghamia. 5 (3): 547–618 [594]. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 June 2014.
  19. ↑ Hunter, John T. (2003). "Vegetation and flora of Arakoola Nature Reserve, North Western Slopes, New South Wales" (PDF). Cunninghamia. 8 (2): 188–201. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 June 2014.
  20. 1 2 Clarke, Peter J.; Knox, Kirsten J. E. (2002). "Post-fire response of shrubs in the tablelands of eastern Australia: do existing models explain habitat differences?". Australian Journal of Botany. 50 (1): 53–62. doi:10.1071/BT01055.
  21. ↑ Clarke, Peter J.; Knox, Kirsten J. E.; Campbell, Monica L.; Copeland, Lachlan M. (2009). "Post-fire recovery of woody plants in the New England Tableland Bioregion" (PDF). Cunninghamia. 11 (2): 221–239. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 March 2016.
  22. ↑ Elliot, Rodger W.; Jones, David L.; Blake, Trevor (1997). Encyclopaedia of Australian Plants Suitable for Cultivation. Vol. 7: N–Po. Port Melbourne, Victoria: Lothian Press. p. 233. ISBN   978-0-85091-634-8.
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