Patersonia juncea explained

Patersonia juncea, commonly known as rush leaved patersonia, is a species of plant in the iris family Iridaceae and is endemic to a restricted part of the south-west of Western Australia. It is a tufted perennial herb with linear leaves and pale violet tepals.

Description

Patersonia juncea is a tufted perennial herb that grows to a height of and forms a rhizome. The leaves are linear, long, wide and more or less cylindrical with a deep longitudinal groove. The flowering scape is long and glabrous. The outer tepals are pale violet, long and wide, and the hypanthium tube is long and glabrous. Flowering mainly occurs from August to October.[1]

Taxonomy and naming

Patersonia juncea was first described in 1840 by John Lindley in A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony.[2] [3] The specific epithet (juncea) means "rush-like".[4]

Distribution and habitat

Rush leaved patersonia grows in forest, woodland mallee and scrub between Eneabba and Israelite Bay in the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains, Geraldton Sandplains, Jarrah Forest, Mallee, Swan Coastal Plain and Warren.

Conservation status

Patersonia juncea is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Patersonia juncea . Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Canberra . 24 November 2021.
  2. Web site: Patersonia juncea. APNI. 24 November 2020.
  3. Book: Lindley . John . A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony . 1840 . James Ridgway . London . lviii . 24 November 2021.
  4. Book: Sharr . Francis Aubi . George . Alex . Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings . 2019 . Four Gables Press . Kardinya, WA . 9780958034180 . 229 . 3rd.