Persoonia lanceolata

Lance-leaf geebung
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Proteales
Family:	Proteaceae
Genus:	Persoonia
Species:	P. lanceolata
Binomial name
Persoonia lanceolata Andrews
Range of P. lanceolata in New South Wales
Synonyms
Persoonia latifolia Andrews Linkia lanceolata (Andrews) Kuntze

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 (January to April), followed by green fleshy fruits (known as drupes) which ripen the following spring (September to October). 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.

The species is usually found in dry

In 1870, George Bentham published the first infrageneric arrangement of Persoonia in Volume 5 of his landmark Flora Australiensis. He divided the genus into three sections, placing P. lanceolata in P. sect. Amblyanthera.^[12] The genus was reviewed by Peter Weston for the Flora of Australia treatment in 1995, and P. lanceolata gave its name to the lanceolata group,^[4] a group of 58 closely related species with similar flowers but very different foliage. These species often interbreed with each other where two members of the group occur,^[13] and hybrids of P. lanceolata with P. katerae, P. levis, P. linearis, P. stradbrokensis and P. virgata have been recorded.^[4] The glaucous-leaved P. glaucescens was formerly considered a subspecies of P. lanceolata, but no intermediate forms have been recorded from where the two taxa grow together near Hill Top in the Southern Highlands.^[4] P. lanceolata has seven chromosomes, as do most other members of the genus, and they are large compared to those of other proteaceae.^[14]

Description

Persoonia lanceolata is a shrub which ranges from 0.5–3 m (1.6–9.8 ft) high. The grey bark is smooth, and the new growth is hairy. Arranged alternately on the stems,^[15] the thick leathery leaves are oblanceolate or obovate in shape, and measure 3–10 cm (1.2–3.9 in) in length, and around 0.4–3.2 cm (0.16–1.3 in) wide. Hairy when young, they are smooth and featureless.^[4] Bright green in colour with a yellowish tint at times,^[16] the leaves are concolorous, that is both leaf surfaces are the same colour.^[4] The finely hairy yellow flowers appear mainly from January to April,^[4] but may be encountered at any time of year.^[6] They are arranged in leafy racemes, and each stem may bear 4 to 54 flowers. P. lanceolata is described as auxotelic, which means each stalk bears an individual flower that is subtended by a leaf at its junction with the stem.^[4] On 0.5 cm (0.2 in) stalks, the flowers may reach 1 cm (0.4 in) in dimensions,^[5] and are typical for the genus.^[13]

Each individual flower consists of a cylindrical perianth which 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.^[13] They provide a landing area for insects attending to the stigma, which is located at the tip of the style.^[5] The smooth fleshy drupes are green and more or less round, measuring 1 cm (0.4 in) by 0.8 cm (0.3 in) in diameter.^[15] Containing two seeds,^[5] they weigh around 1.3 g (0.05 oz) and become partly red as they ripen and fall to the ground the following spring (September to October).^[17][18] Once fallen to the ground, the drupes soften and become a dark red over two to three weeks before shrivelling and blackening.^[18] The drupes are edible and were eaten by the local aboriginal people.^[19][20]

The firm bark and lanceolate leaves of P. lanceolata distinguish it from P. levis, with which it can be confused; the latter species has flaky bark and asymmetrical leaves.^[6]

Distribution and habitat

Persoonia lanceolata is found along coastal and near-coastal areas of

The

P. lanceolata shrubs destroyed by bushfire regenerate through seedlings surviving through seedbank in the soil. The Ku-ring-gai Chase study found that seedlings germinated within two years of a 1994 bushfire, although some appeared up to six years afterwards, while germination was not related to any particular season. Plants take six years to reach maturity. Thus, more frequent bushfires prevent recruitment and hence endanger populations.^[21] However, plants in Lane Cove National Park were recorded maturing three years after an especially intense bushfire. What triggers germination is unknown, and seedlings have also arisen from areas disturbed by sand mining, sometimes growing in higher concentrations than before the disturbance. The natural lifespan of a plant appears to range from 25 to 60 years.^[17]

Cultivation and uses

Persoonia lanceolata is rarely seen in cultivation, mainly due to difficulties in propagation; seed germination is unpredictable, and cuttings have proven difficult to strike. Nevertheless, its bright green hue is considered an attractive horticultural feature. Well drained sandy soils in sun or part shade are needed for this plant in a garden setting.^[5] Once established, it tolerates moderate frosts and dry spells, and grows fairly readily in suitable conditions. Plantsmen in England were able to germinate seed there in 1791.^[15]

Drupes were eaten by indigenous people on the Beecroft Peninsula, and were preferred over those of P. laurina.^[23]

References