Persoonia coriacea

leathery-leaf persoonia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
Order: Proteales
Family: Proteaceae
Genus: Persoonia
Species: P. coriacea
Binomial name
Persoonia coriacea
Audas & P.Morris [1]

Persoonia coriacea, commonly known as the leathery-leaf persoonia,[2] is a shrub native to the wheatbelt in Western Australia. First collected by one Max Koch on 30 November 1923, it was described by James W.C. Audas and P.F. Morris in 1928.[1] Within the genus Persoonia, P. coriacea is classified in the lanceolata group, a group of 54 closely related species with similar flowers but very different foliage. These species will often interbreed with each other where two members of the group occur;[3] in the case of this species, it hybridizes with P. helix.[4]

Persoonia coriacea grows as a small shrub to 1 m (4 ft) high and 1.5 m (5 ft), and has hairy new branches and leaves.[2] The narrow grey-green leaves measure 2 to 7 cm (0.8-2.8 in) long, and 0.3–1.3 cm wide and are roughly oval, obovate or linear in shape, and often twisted. Some populations, such as plants near Yellowdine, have more twisted leaves than others. Appearing from November to February, the inflorescences are composed of single yellow flowers and have hairy perianths.[4]

Persoonia coriacea is found in the southwest of Western Australia, from Carnamah southwards to Lake Grace and Lake King and east across to Plumridge Lakes.[4] on yellow sand dunes or sandplains, or on sandy clay soils, sometimes over laterite, red sand or granite.[5] It occurs in heathland and mallee heath plant communities.[4] The uncommon blue-breasted fairywren has been recorded using this shrub as a nest site.[6]

Held to have little horticultural appeal, Persoonia coriacea is not known to be cultivated.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 "Persoonia coriacea Audas & P.Morris". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
  2. 1 2 3 Wrigley, John; Fagg, Murray (1991). Banksias, Waratahs and Grevilleas. Sydney: Angus & Robertson. p. 479. ISBN 0-207-17277-3.
  3. Weston, Peter H. (2003). "Proteaceae subfamily Persoonioideae". Australian Plants. 22 (175): 62–78.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Weston, Peter H. (1995). "Persoonioideae". In McCarthy, Patrick. Flora of Australia: Volume 16: Eleagnaceae, Proteaceae 1. CSIRO Publishing / Australian Biological Resources Study. pp. 47–125. ISBN 0-643-05693-9.
  5. "Persoonia coriacea". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  6. Brooker, Michael; Brooker, Lesley (2001). "Breeding biology, reproductive success and survival of blue-breasted fairy-wrens in fragmented habitat in the Western Australian wheatbelt". Wildlife Research. 28 (2): 205–14. doi:10.1071/WR00012.
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