Johnsonia (plant) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Johnsonia (plant) |
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| Johnsonia pubescens in Lesueur National Park | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Asphodelaceae |
| Subfamily: | Hemerocallidoideae |
| Genus: | Johnsonia R.Br. |
| Type species | |
| Johnsonia lupulina |
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Johnsonia is a group of five types of plants that are like herbs. They belong to the Asphodelaceae plant family. All these plants grow only in the south-west part of Western Australia. This means they are endemic to that area. They look a bit like grass and have tiny flowers. These flowers are wrapped in special leaves called bracts, which can be white, pink, or cream.
Contents
What Johnsonia Plants Look Like
All Johnsonia plants are perennial herbs. This means they live for more than two years and have soft stems. They grow in clumps and have rhizomes. A rhizome is an underground stem that helps the plant spread.
Their leaves look like grass and grow from the bottom of the plant. The bases of the leaves wrap around the main stem. The plant also grows a flower stalk without leaves. This stalk is usually about the same length as the leaves. On this stalk, you'll find large, dry, overlapping bracts. These bracts surround the very small flowers. All Johnsonia species bloom between August and December.
Naming and Classification
The group of plants called Johnsonia was first officially described in 1810. This was done by a botanist named Robert Brown. He wrote about it in his book Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen. The main example species for this group is Johnsonia lupulina.
The name Johnsonia was chosen to honor Thomas Johnson. He was an English naturalist who lived in the 1600s.
Here is a list of the five Johnsonia species. These are recognized by the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families as of January 2019:
Types of Johnsonia Plants
- Johnsonia acaulis Endl. in J.G.C.Lehmann
- Johnsonia inconspicua Keighery
- Johnsonia lupulina R.Br.
- Johnsonia pubescens Lindl.
- Johnsonia teretifolia Endl. in J.G.C.Lehmann
Where Johnsonia Plants Grow
All Johnsonia species are found in the south-west part of Western Australia. They grow in several different natural areas. These include the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest, Mallee, Swan Coastal Plain, and Warren zones. Each type of Johnsonia plant needs specific conditions to grow well.
See also
In Spanish: Johnsonia para niños
