Goodenia leptoclada explained

Goodenia leptoclada, commonly known as thin-stemmed goodenia, is a species of flowering plant in the family Goodeniaceae and is endemic to the extreme south-west of Western Australia. It is an ascending perennial herb with lance-shaped to egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base and racemes of blue flowers.

Description

Goodenia leptoclada is a ascending herb that typically grows to a height of up to . The leaves are lance-shaped to egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, long and wide, sometimes with blunt teeth on the edges. The flowers are arranged in racemes up to long on a peduncle long with leaf-like bracts and linear bracteoles long. The sepals are lance-shaped, about long and the corolla is blue and long. The lower lobes of the corolla are long with wings wide. Flowering occurs from November to January and the fruit is more or less spherical capsule about in diameter.[1]

Taxonomy and naming

Goodenia laevis was first formally described in 1868 by George Bentham in Flora Australiensis from specimens collected by James Drummond.[2] [3] The specific epithet (leptoclada) means "thin-stemmed".[4]

Distribution and habitat

Thin-stemmed goodenia grows in sandy soil in the Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest, Swan Coastal Plain and Warren biogeographic regions in the extreme south-west of Western Australia.

Conservation status

Goddenia leptoclada is classified as "not threatened" by the Department of Environment and Conservation (Western Australia).

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Carolin . Roger C. . Goodenia leptoclada . Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra . 27 February 2021.
  2. Web site: Goodenia leptoclada. APNI. 3 March 2021.
  3. Book: Bentham . George . von Mueller . Ferdinand . Flora Australiensis . 1868 . Lovell Reeve & Co. . London . 67 . 3 March 2021.
  4. Book: Sharr . Francis Aubi . George . Alex . Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings . 2019 . Four Gables Press . Kardinya, WA . 9780958034180 . 238 . 3rd.