Persoonia

''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.

Description

Persoonias are usually shrubs, sometimes small trees and usually have smooth bark. The adult leaves are simple, usually arranged alternately but sometimes in opposite pairs, or in whorls of three or four. If a petiole is present, it is short. The flowers are arranged singly or in racemes, usually of a few flowers, either in leaf axils or on the ends of the branches. Sometimes the raceme continues to grow into a leafy shoot. The tepals are free from each other except near their base, have their tips rolled back and are usually yellow. There is a single stigma on top of the ovary and surrounded by four stamens. The fruit is a drupe containing one or two seeds.

Taxonomy and naming

The genus ''Persoonia'' was first formally described in 1798 by James Edward Smith and the description was published in ''Transactions of the Linnean Society of London''. The generic name is in honour of Dutch mycologist and botanist Christiaan Hendrik Persoon. Smith did not nominate a type species but in 1988, ''Persoonia lanceolata'' was nominated as the lectotype.

The term geebung is derived from the Dharug language word ''geebung'', while the Wiradjuri term was ''jibbong''. The etymology of "snottygobble" is more obscure. ''The English Dialect Dictionary'' published in 1904 lists ''snotergob'', ''snot-gob'' and ''snotty-gobble'' as "the fruit of the yew-tree, ''Taxus baccata''" noting that "children devour quantities of the red part of these berries, which they call snotty-gobbles, and suffer no ill-effects". The pulp around the hard stone in the drupes of ''Persoonia'' is edible although "the operation is a little like nibbling sweet cotton wool".

Molecular hylogenetic studies indicate that '' Toronia'', '' Garnieria'' and ''Acidonia'' all lie within the large genus ''Persoonia''.Holmes, G. D., Weston, P. H., Murphy, D. J., Connelly, C., & Cantrill, D. J. (2018). The genealogy of geebungs: phylogenetic analysis of Persoonia (Proteaceae) and related genera in subfamily Persoonioideae. Australian Systematic Botany, 31(2), 166-189.

Distribution and habitat

All species are endemic to Australia, though a closely related species, '' Toronia toru'' is found in New Zealand and has been described as a species within the genus ''Persoonia'' previously. They are widespread in non-arid regions. One species, '' P. pertinax'', is found only in the Great Victoria Desert, while a few other species venture into the arid zone, but most are concentrated in the subtropical to temperate parts of south eastern and south western Australia, including Tasmania.

Most species are plants of well-drained, acid, sandy or sandstone-based soils that are low in nutrients, although one, '' Persoonia graminea'', grows in swampy habitats. Three species ('' P. acicularis'', '' P. bowgada'' and '' P. hexagona'') tolerate mildly calcareous soils, and several south eastern species sometimes grow on basalt-derived soils, and but these are unusual. The greatest diversity of species is found in areas with soils derived from sandstones and granites.

Ecology

Interactions between micro-organisms and ''Persoonia'' species are poorly known, and no mycorrhizal associations have been reported for any species of Persoonioideae. Several species of ''Persoonia'' ('' P. elliptica'', '' P. gunnii'', '' P. longifolia'', '' P. micranthera'', '' P. muelleri'') are known to be highly susceptible to infection by an Oomycete, ''Phytophthora cinnamomi'', in the wild and this pathogen is strongly suspected of being responsible for the deaths of many other species in cultivation.

The sclerophyllous plant communities where ''Persoonia'' species usually live are fire-prone environments, hence ''Persoonia'' species have adapted to frequent bushfires. The most obvious adaptations are features that allow plants to survive fires, albeit in a more-or-less pruned state. Many species, especially in the south west, are lignotuberous, resprouting from ground level after fire. Several also develop thick bark that protects epicormic buds, which resprout from trunks and large branches after fire. The most eye-catching of these are the four “paper-barked” species: '' P. falcata'', '' P. levis'', '' P. linearis'' and '' P. longifolia''. Branch resprouters with less conspicuous protective bark include '' P. amaliae'', '' P. elliptica'', '' P. katerae'' and '' P. stradbrokensis''. Fire-sensitive species survive fires as buried seeds, which tend to germinate prolifically after disturbance. These species seem to require an interval of at least eight years between fires, allowing newly germinated plants to reach reproductive maturity and establish a replacement seed bank. The natural patterns and processes involved in this kind of life cycle, including seed longevity, the environmental cues that stimulate germination, and even the time from germination to first flowering are still poorly understood.

The best studied interaction between animals and ''Persoonia'' species is that between the plants and their pollinators. All species that have been studied in detail have been found to be pollinated by a variety of native bees, but especially species of '' Leioproctus'' subgenus '' Cladocerapis'' (Colletidae), which rarely visit any plants but ''Persoonia''. The behaviour of these bees on ''Persoonia'' flowers is quite predictable. Both males and females alight on the cross-shaped “platform” formed by the recurved anther tips, orient themselves to be facing one of the anther/tepals, then slide, face first, down between the anther and the style to reach the two glands at either side of the base of the tepal, and drink the nectar from them. Females gather pollen grains with their legs while drinking nectar. The insect then withdraws to the top of the flower, makes a 180° turn, then repeats the process on the other side of the flower. Another species group in '' Leioproctus'', subgenus '' Filiglossa'', also specialises in feeding on ''Persoonia'' flowers but these smaller bees seem to be nectar and pollen “thieves”, not effective pollinators. The introduced honeybee ('' Apis mellifera'') is also a frequent visitor of ''Persoonia'' flowers at most sites but it is still unclear whether this species is an effective pollinator.
The fleshy fruits of ''Persoonia'' species are clearly adapted for animal dispersal but it is still unclear whether mammals such as possums and wallabies, or large flying birds such as currawongs are the most important dispersers. Parrots, also feed on ''Persoonia'' fruits, but the fruit (and seed) they eat are unripe, and hence their interaction with the plants is predatory rather than symbiotic.

Species list

The following is a list of species, subspecies and varieties of ''Persoonia'' accepted by the Australian Plant Census as at September 2020:

* '' Persoonia acerosa'' Sieber ex Schult. & Schult.f. - needle geebung (N.S.W.)
* '' Persoonia acicularis'' F.Muell. (W.A.)
* ''Persoonia acuminata'' L.A.S.Johnson & P.H.Weston (N.S.W.)
* '' Persoonia adenantha'' Domin (N.S.W., Qld.)
* '' Persoonia amaliae'' Domin (Qld.)
* '' Persoonia angustiflora'' Benth. (W.A.)
* ''Persoonia arborea'' F.Muell. – tree geebung (Vic.)
* ''Persoonia asperula'' L.A.S.Johnson & P.H.Weston – mountain geebung (N.S.W., Vic.)
* ''Persoonia baeckeoides'' P.H.Weston (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia bargoensis'' L.A.S.Johnson & P.H.Weston – Bargo geebung (N.S.W.)
* '' Persoonia biglandulosa'' P.H.Weston (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia bowgada'' P.H.Weston (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia brachystylis'' F.Muell. (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia brevifolia'' (Benth.) L.A.S.Johnson & P.H.Weston (N.S.W., Vic.)
* ''Persoonia brevirhachis'' P.H.Weston (W.A.)
* ''Persoonia chamaepeuce'' Lhotsky ex Meisn. – yellow geebung, dwarf geebung (A.C.T., N.S.W., Vic)
* ''Persoonia chamaepitys'' A.Cunn. – prostrate geebung, mountain geebung (N.S.W.)
* '' Persoonia chapmaniana'' P.H.Weston (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia comata'' Meisn. (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia confertiflora'' Benth. – cluster-flower geebung (N.S.W., Vic.)
* '' Persoonia conjuncta'' L.A.S.Johnson & P.H.Weston (N.S.W.)
* '' Persoonia cordifolia'' P.H.Weston (W.A.)
* ''Persoonia coriacea'' Audas & P.Morris – leathery-leaf persoonia (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia cornifolia'' A.Cunn. ex R.Br. (N.S.W., Qld.)
* '' Persoonia curvifolia'' R.Br. (N.S.W.)
* '' Persoonia cuspidifera'' L.A.S.Johnson & P.H.Weston (N.S.W.)
* '' Persoonia cymbifolia'' P.H.Weston (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia daphnoides'' A.Cunn. ex R.Br. (N.S.W., Qld.)
* '' Persoonia dillwynioides'' Meisn. (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia elliptica'' R.Br. – snottygobble (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia falcata'' R.Br. – wild pear (N.T., Qld., W.A.)
* '' Persoonia fastigiata'' R.Br. (N.S.W.)
* '' Persoonia filiformis'' P.H.Weston (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia flexifolia'' R.Br. (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia glaucescens'' Sieber ex Spreng. – Mittagong geebung (N.S.W.)
* '' Persoonia graminea'' R.Br. (W.A.)
* ''Persoonia gunnii'' Hook.f. – mountain geebung (Tas.)
* '' Persoonia hakeiformis'' Meisn. (W.A.)
* ''Persoonia helix'' P.H.Weston (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia hexagona'' P.H.Weston (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia hindii'' P.H.Weston & L.A.S.Johnson (N.S.W.)
* '' Persoonia hirsuta'' Pers. – hairy persoonia, hairy geebung
** ''Persoonia hirsuta'' subsp. ''evoluta'' L.A.S.Johnson & P.H.Weston (N.S.W.)
** ''Persoonia hirsuta'' Pers. subsp. ''hirsuta'' (N.S.W.)
* '' Persoonia inconspicua'' P.H.Weston (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia iogyna'' P.H.Weston & L.A.S.Johnson (Qld.)
* '' Persoonia isophylla'' L.A.S.Johnson & P.H.Weston (N.S.W.)
* '' Persoonia juniperina'' Labill. – prickly geebung (N.S.W., S.A., Tas., Vic.)
** ''Persoonia juniperina'' var. ''brevifolia'' Meisn. (Tas.)
** ''Persoonia juniperina Labill. var. ''juniperina'' (Tas.)
** ''Persoonia juniperina'' var. ''mollis'' Orchard (N.S.W.)
** ''Persoonia juniperina'' var. ''ulicina'' Meisn. (N.S.W.)
* '' Persoonia kararae'' P.H.Weston (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia katerae'' P.H.Weston & L.A.S.Johnson (N.S.W.)
* '' Persoonia lanceolata'' Andrews – lance-leaf geebung (N.S.W.)
* '' Persoonia laurina'' Pers. – laurel-leaved geebung, laurel geebung (N.S.W.)
** ''Persoonia laurina'' subsp. ''intermedia'' L.A.S.Johnson & P.H.Weston (N.S.W.)
** ''Persoonia laurina'' Pers. subsp. ''laurina'' (N.S.W.)
** ''Persoonia laurina'' subsp. ''leiogyna'' L.A.S.Johnson & P.H.Weston (N.S.W.)
* '' Persoonia laxa'' L.A.S.Johnson & P.H.Weston (N.S.W.)
* '' Persoonia leucopogon'' S.Moore (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia levis'' ( Cav.) Domin – broad-leaved geebung (N.S.W., Vic.)
* '' Persoonia linearis'' Andrews – narrow-leaved geebung (N.S.W., Vic.)
* ''Persoonia longifolia'' R.Br. – long-leaf persoonia (W.A.)
* ''Persoonia manotricha'' A.S.Markey & R.Butcher (W.A.)
* ''Persoonia marginata'' A.Cunn. ex R.Br. – Clandulla geebung (N.S.W.)
* ''Persoonia media'' R.Br. (N.S.W., Qld.)
* '' Persoonia micranthera'' P.H.Weston – small-flowered snottygobble (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia microphylla'' R.Br. (N.S.W.)
* ''Persoonia mollis'' R.Br. (N.S.W.)
** ''Persoonia mollis'' subsp. ''budawangensis'' S.Krauss & L.A.S.Johnson (N.S.W.)
** ''Persoonia mollis'' subsp. ''caleyi'' (R.Br.) S.Krauss & L.A.S.Johnson (N.S.W.)
** ''Persoonia mollis'' subsp. ''ledifolia'' (A.Cunn. ex Meisn.) S.Krauss & L.A.S.Johnson (N.S.W.)
** ''Persoonia mollis'' subsp. ''leptophylla'' S.Krauss & L.A.S.Johnson (N.S.W.)
** ''Persoonia mollis'' subsp. ''livens'' S.Krauss & L.A.S.Johnson (N.S.W.)
** ''Persoonia mollis'' subsp. ''maxima'' S.Krauss & L.A.S.Johnson (N.S.W.)
** ''Persoonia mollis'' R.Br. subsp. ''mollis'' (N.S.W.)
** ''Persoonia mollis'' subsp. ''nectens'' S.Krauss & L.A.S.Johnson (N.S.W.)
** ''Persoonia mollis'' subsp. ''revoluta'' S.Krauss & L.A.S.Johnson (N.S.W.)
* ''Persoonia moscalii'' Orchard – creeping geebung (Tas.)
* ''Persoonia muelleri'' (P.Parm.) Orchard – Mueller’s geebung (Tas.)
** ''Persoonia muelleri'' var. ''angustifolia'' Meisn. (Tas.)
** ''Persoonia muelleri'' var. ''densifolia'' Labill. (Tas.)
** ''Persoonia muelleri'' ( P.Parm.) Orchardvar. ''muelleri'' (Tas.)
* '' Persoonia myrtilloides'' Sieber ex Schult. & Schult.f. – myrtle geebung (N.S.W.)
** ''Persoonia myrtilloides'' subsp. ''cunninghamii'' (R.Br.) L.A.S.Johnson & P.H.Weston (N.S.W.)
** ''Persoonia myrtilloides'' Pers. subsp. ''myrtilloides'' (N.S.W.)
* ''Persoonia nutans'' R.Br. – nodding geebung (N.S.W.)
* '' Persoonia oblongata'' R.Br. (N.S.W.)
* ''Persoonia oleoides'' L.A.S.Johnson & P.H.Weston (N.S.W.)
* '' Persoonia oxycoccoides'' Sieber ex Spreng. (N.S.W.)
* '' Persoonia papillosa'' P.H.Weston (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia pauciflora'' P.H.Weston – North Rothbury persoonia (N.S.W.)
* '' Persoonia pentasticha'' P.H.Weston (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia pertinax'' P.H.Weston (W.A.)
* ''Persoonia pinifolia'' R.Br. – pine-leaved geebung (N.S.W.)
* '' Persoonia procumbens'' L.A.S.Johnson & P.H.Weston (N.S.W.)
* '' Persoonia prostrata'' R.Br. (Qld.)
* '' Persoonia pungens'' W.Fitzg. (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia quinquenervis'' Hook. (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia recedens'' Gand. (N.S.W.)
* '' Persoonia rigida'' R.Br. – rigid, hairy, or stiff geebung (A.C.T., N.S.W., Vic.)
* '' Persoonia rudis'' Meisn. (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia rufa'' L.A.S.Johnson & P.H.Weston (N.S.W.)
* '' Persoonia rufiflora'' Meisn. (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia saccata'' R.Br. (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia saundersiana'' Kippist (W.A..)
* ''Persoonia scabra'' R.Br. (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia sericea'' A.Cunn. ex R.Br. – silky geebung (N.S.W., Qld.)
* ''Persoonia silvatica'' L.A.S.Johnson (N.S.W., Vic.)
* ''Persoonia spathulata'' R.Br. (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia stradbrokensis'' Domin (Qld., N.S.W.)
* ''Persoonia stradbrokensis'' Domin × ''Persoonia virgata'' R.Br. (N.S.W., Qld.)
* '' Persoonia striata'' R.Br. (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia stricta'' C.A.Gardner ex P.H.Weston (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia subtilis'' P.H.Weston & L.A.S.Johnson (Qld.)
* '' Persoonia subvelutina'' L.A.S.Johnson – velvety geebung (A.C.T., N.S.W., Vic.)
* '' Persoonia sulcata'' Meisn. (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia tenuifolia'' R.Br. (N.S.W., Qld.)
* '' Persoonia teretifolia'' R.Br. (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia terminalis'' L.A.S.Johnson & P.H.Weston – Torrington geebung (N.S.W., Qld.)
** ''Persoonia terminalis'' subsp. ''recurva'' L.A.S.Johnson & P.H.Weston (N.S.W., Qld.)
** ''Persoonia terminalis'' L.A.S.Johnson & P.H.Weston subsp. ''terminalis'' (N.S.W.)
* '' Persoonia trinervis'' Meisn. (W.A.)
* '' Persoonia tropica'' L.A.S.Johnson & P.H.Weston (Qld.)
* '' Persoonia virgata'' R.Br. (N.S.W., Qld.)
* '' Persoonia volcanica'' P.H.Weston & L.A.S.Johnson (N.S.W., Qld.)

References

Further reading

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External links

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{{Taxonbar, from=Q138331

Proteaceae genera
Taxa named by James Edward Smith
Endemic flora of Australia