Persoonia oxycoccoides facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Persoonia oxycoccoides |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| In the Australian National Botanic Gardens | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Persoonia
|
| Species: |
oxycoccoides
|
Persoonia oxycoccoides is a special kind of flowering plant. It belongs to the Proteaceae family, which includes many unique Australian plants. This plant is endemic to New South Wales, Australia. This means it grows naturally only in that area.
It is a low-growing shrub that spreads out. It has smooth bark and young branches that are a bit hairy. Its leaves are shaped like an oval or an egg. The plant produces pretty yellow flowers. These flowers grow in groups along a central stem.
About This Plant
Persoonia oxycoccoides is a shrub that can grow up to about 90 centimeters (or 3 feet) tall. It has smooth bark. Its young branches have some soft hairs.
The leaves are small, usually about 4 to 11 millimeters long. They are also about 1.5 to 6 millimeters wide. They have an oval or egg-like shape.
The yellow flowers grow in clusters of up to thirteen. They are found on a stem called a rachis, which can be up to 35 millimeters long. This stem keeps growing even after the flowers bloom. Each flower sits on a small stalk, called a pedicel, which is about 2 to 5 millimeters long. There is usually a leaf at the base of each flower stalk.
The flower parts, called tepals, are yellow and smooth. They are about 8 to 11 millimeters long. You can see this plant flowering from December to April.
Where It Lives
This special plant, also known as a geebung, grows in certain areas of New South Wales. It likes to live in montane heath and forests. Montane heath means it grows in open, shrubby areas on mountains.
You can find Persoonia oxycoccoides between the towns of Mittagong, Jamberoo, and Tallong. These areas are all in the southeastern part of New South Wales.
Who Named It?
The plant Persoonia oxycoccoides was first officially described in 1827. This was done by a scientist named Kurt Polycarp Joachim Sprengel. He used notes from another scientist, Franz Sieber, who had described the plant earlier. Sprengel published the description in a book called Systema Vegetabilium.
