Goodenia scapigera, commonly known as white goodenia,[2] is a species of flowering plant in the family Goodeniaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, perennial herb or shrub with linear to narrow egg-shaped leaves clustered near the ends of the stems, and thyrses of white flowers with purplish spots.
| White goodenia | |
|---|---|
| |
| Goodenia scapigera near Ravensthorpe | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Goodeniaceae |
| Genus: | Goodenia |
| Species: | G. scapigera
|
| Binomial name | |
| Goodenia scapigera | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
Description
editGoodenia scapigera is an erect, perennial herb or shrub that typically grows to a height of 0.3–1.5 m (1 ft 0 in – 4 ft 11 in) and is glabrous. The leaves are linear to narrow egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, more or less clustered at the ends of the stems, 40–60 mm (1.6–2.4 in) long and 2–10 mm (0.079–0.394 in) wide, sometimes with toothed edges. The flowers are arranged in thyrses up to 200 mm (7.9 in) long, with linear bracts about 5 mm (0.20 in) long and linear bracteoles about 2 mm (0.079 in) long. Each flower is on a pedicel 1–3 mm (0.039–0.118 in) long with linear to triangular sepals 7–8 mm (0.28–0.31 in) long. The petals are white with purplish spots near the base, 8–18 mm (0.31–0.71 in) long, the lower lobes of the corolla 7–11 mm (0.28–0.43 in) long with wings about 1 mm (0.039 in) wide. Flowering mainly occurs from September to January and the fruit is an oval to elliptical capsule 5–7 mm (0.20–0.28 in) long.[2][3]
Taxonomy and naming
editGoodenia scapigera was first formally described in 1810 by Robert Brown in his Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen.[4][5] The specific epithet (scapigera) means "bearing a flower stalk".[6]
In 2000, Leigh William Sage described two subspecies and the names are accepted by the Australian Plant Census:[7]
- Goodenia scapigera subsp. graniticola L.W.Sage[8] differs from the autonym in having leaves that are in clusters, linear, not toothed, and up to 2 mm (0.079 in) wide;[7][9]
- Goodenia scapigera R.Br. subsp. scapigera L.W.Sage[10] (the autonym) has leaves not clustered, linear to narrow egg-shaped, sometimes toothed and 2–10 mm (0.079–0.394 in) wide.[7][11]
Distribution and habitat
editThis goodenia usually grows in sandy soil in woodland or heath and is widespread in the Avon Wheatbelt, Coolgardie, Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest, Mallee and Swan Coastal Plain biogeographic regions in the south west of Western Australia. Subspecies graniticola has a more restricted distribution, growing in heath in granitic soil near Peak Charles National Park.[2][3][7][9][11]
Conservation status
editGoodenia scapigera subsp. scapigera is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife, but subsp. graniticola is classified as "Priority Two" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife[2] meaning that it is poorly known and from only one or a few locations.[9][12]
References
edit- ^ a b "Goodenia scapigera". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Goodenia scapigera". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
- ^ a b Carolin, Roger C. "Goodenia scapigera". Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ "Goodenia scapigera". APNI. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ Brown, Robert (1810). Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen. London. p. 578. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 302. ISBN 9780958034180.
- ^ a b c d Sage, Leigh W. (2000). "New taxa in Goodenia (Goodeniaceae) from the south-west of Western Australia, with an update to the Goodenia key in the Flora of Australia". Nuytsia. 13 (2): 372–375. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ "Goodenia scapigera subsp. graniticola". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ a b c "Goodenia scapigera subsp. graniticola". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
- ^ "Goodenia scapigera subsp. scapigera". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ a b "Goodenia scapigera subsp. scapigera". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
- ^ "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 26 April 2021.