Persoonia chamaepitys
Encyclopedia
Persoonia chamaepitys, commonly known as the prostrate- or mountain geebung, is a shrub endemic to New South Wales
in eastern Australia
. It was first described by Allan Cunningham
in 1825. The origin of the type specimen is unknown. The species name is derived from the Ancient Greek
words chamae "ground hugging", and pitys "pine", from resemblance of the foliage to that of pines. Within the genus Persoonia
, P. chamaepitys 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.
A prostrate shrub, Persoonia chamaepitys reaches to around 20 cm (8 in) high and spreads up to 1-2 m (3-7 ft) across. The new growth is hairy. The tiny spine-like leaves measure 0.7–1.9 cm long and 0.5–1 mm wide. Flowering occurs over spring and summer (October to January), the small yellow flowers arising from or near the ends of branchlets.
Persoonia chamaepitys is restricted to central New South Wales from the Upper Goulburn Valley south through the Blue Mountains and Woranora Plateau and into the Budawang Ranges. It is common around Katoomba to Mt Victoria. It grows at an altitude of 360 to 1100 m (1200-3600 ft), on sandstone-based soils in heath or dry sclerophyll forest.
The species is sometimes seen in cultivation, but has proven difficult to propagate from either seed or cuttings. It makes an attractive rockery plant, its bright green foliage and yellow flowers are features.
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
in eastern Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It was first described by Allan Cunningham
Allan Cunningham (botanist)
Allan Cunningham was an English botanist and explorer, primarily known for his travels in New South Wales to collect plants.- Early life :...
in 1825. The origin of the type specimen is unknown. The species name is derived from the Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
words chamae "ground hugging", and pitys "pine", from resemblance of the foliage to that of pines. Within the genus Persoonia
Persoonia
Persoonia is a genus of 98 species of shrubs and small trees in the tribe Persoonioideae in the large and diverse plant family Proteaceae. In the eastern states of Australia, they are commonly known as Geebungs, while in Western Australia and South Australia they go by the common name Snottygobbles...
, P. chamaepitys 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.
A prostrate shrub, Persoonia chamaepitys reaches to around 20 cm (8 in) high and spreads up to 1-2 m (3-7 ft) across. The new growth is hairy. The tiny spine-like leaves measure 0.7–1.9 cm long and 0.5–1 mm wide. Flowering occurs over spring and summer (October to January), the small yellow flowers arising from or near the ends of branchlets.
Persoonia chamaepitys is restricted to central New South Wales from the Upper Goulburn Valley south through the Blue Mountains and Woranora Plateau and into the Budawang Ranges. It is common around Katoomba to Mt Victoria. It grows at an altitude of 360 to 1100 m (1200-3600 ft), on sandstone-based soils in heath or dry sclerophyll forest.
The species is sometimes seen in cultivation, but has proven difficult to propagate from either seed or cuttings. It makes an attractive rockery plant, its bright green foliage and yellow flowers are features.