Johnsonia (plant)

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Johnsonia
Johnsonia pubescens.JPG
Johnsonia pubescens in Lesueur National Park
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Asphodelaceae
Subfamily: Hemerocallidoideae
Genus: Johnsonia
R.Br. [1]
Type species
Johnsonia lupulina

Johnsonia is a genus composed of five species of herbs in the family Asphodelaceae, all of which are endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. They are grass-like plants with minute flowers surrounded by bracts which are often tinged with white, pink or cream.

Contents

Description

All the plants in this genus are rhizomatous, tufted, perennial herbs with grass-like leaves which all emerge from the base of the plant. The bases of the leaves surround the stem. The flower spike is leafless, more or less the same length as the leaves, with large, dry overlapping bracts surrounding minute flowers. All species flower between August and December. [2] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

The genus was first formally described in 1810 by Robert Brown in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen . The type species is Johnsonia lupulina . [4] [5] The name Johnsonia is in recognition of the 17th century English naturalist, Thomas Johnson. [2]

The following is a list of species of Johnsonia recognised by the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families as at January 2019: [1]

Species list

Distribution and habitat

Johnsonia species all occur in the south-west of Western Australia in the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest, Mallee, Swan Coastal Plain and Warren biogeographic zones. Each species has its own habitat requirements. [6]

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<i>Tricoryne</i> Genus of flowering plants

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  1. Tricoryne ancepsR.Br. - New Guinea, Queensland
  2. Tricoryne corynothecoidesKeighery - Western Australia
  3. Tricoryne elatiorR.Br. - Yellow Rush-lily - all 6 states plus Northern Territory
  4. Tricoryne humilisEndl. - Western Australia
  5. Tricoryne muricataBaker - Queensland
  6. Tricoryne platypteraRchb.f - New Guinea, Queensland
  7. Tricoryne simplexR.Br. - New South Wales
  8. Tricoryne tenellaR.Br. - Mallee Rush-lily - Western Australia, South Australia
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<i>Caleana</i> Genus of flowering plants

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<i>Anisomeles</i> Genus of flowering plants

Anisomeles is a genus of herbs of the family Lamiaceae and is native to China, the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, New Guinea, Australia, Madagascar, and some Pacific and Indian Ocean islands. Plants in the genus Anisomeles have small, flat, narrow elliptic to narrow e.g.-shaped leaves arranged in opposite pairs, the edges of the leaves sometimes wavy or serrated. The flowers are arranged in groups, with five sepals and five petals in two "lips", the lower lip with three lobes, the middle lobe much longer than the side lobes. There are four stamens that extend beyond the petals and a single style in a depression on top of the ovary. The fruit is a schizocarp with four nutlets containing small seeds.

<i>Conostylis aculeata</i> Species of flowering plant

Conostylis aculeata, commonly known as prickly conostylis, is a flowering, tufted perennial plant in the family Haemodoraceae. It has flat leaves and yellow, hairy, tubular flowers. It is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia.

<i>Chloanthes</i> Genus of flowering plants

Chloanthes is a genus of four species of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to Australia. Plants in this genus are shrubs with hairy foliage, blistered or wrinkly leaves and flowers with five petals fused at the base, usually with two "lips".

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Stenanthera is a genus of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae. Most are low shrubs with leaves that are paler on the lower surface, tube-shaped flowers and with the fruit a drupe. There are three species, formerly included in the genus Astroloma.

<i>Johnsonia pubescens</i> Species of flowering plant

Johnsonia pubescens, commonly called the pipe lily, is a grass-like plant in the family Asphodelaceae, subfamily Hemerocallidoideae, endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. As with others in the genus, it is distinguished by its minute flowers which are on the end of a spike and hidden by large, overlapping, papery bracts.

References

  1. 1 2 "Johnsonia". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  2. 1 2 Keighery, Greg. "Johnsonia". Australian National Botanic Gardens - flora online. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  3. "Johnsonia R.Br". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  4. "Johnsonia". APNI. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  5. Brown, Robert (1810). Prodromus florae Novae Hollandiae. London. p. 287. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  6. Paczkowska, Grazyna; Chapman, Alex R. (2000). The Western Australian flora : a descriptive catalogue. Perth: Wildflower Society of Western Australia. p. 32. ISBN   0646402439.