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Acidonia

Acidonia microcarpa is a species of shrub in the plant family Proteaceae, and is the only species in the genus Acidonia. It is endemic to the south coast of the Southwest Botanic Province of Western Australia.

Description

This is a smooth-barked shrub reaching up to 3 m (9.8 ft) in height. Small branches are hairy and ribbed, the leaves are long and narrow, measuring up to 13 cm (5.1 in) long and just 1.8 mm (0.07 in) wide. The flowers are bright yellow and about 10 mm (0.39 in) long.[2][5]

Taxonomy

It was originally published by Robert Brown in 1810 as a species of Persoonia. In 1975, Lawrence Alexander Sidney Johnson and Barbara G. Briggs erected the genus Acidonia, transferring a great many Persoonia species into it.[6] Later, the circumscription of Acidonia was changed to include only A. microcarpa.[7]

However, phylogenetic studies indicate that Acidonia is nested in the larger genus Persoonia, where it was once included.[8]

Distribution and habitat

Acidonia microcarpa occurs the in the far southwestern corner of Western Australia, from Margaret River to Albany and within 50 km (31 mi) of the coast. It grows on sandy soils on the margins of water bodies and swamps.[2][5]

References

  1. ^ "Acidonia microcarpa (R.Br.) L.A.S.Johnson & B.G.Briggs". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  2. ^ a b c "Acidonia microcarpa (R.Br.) L.A.S.Johnson & B.G.Briggs". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  3. ^ "Acidonia L.A.S.Johnson & B.G.Briggs". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  4. ^ "Acidonia L.A.S.Johnson & B.G.Briggs". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  5. ^ a b Weston, P.H. (2022). "Acidonia microcarpa (R.Br.) L.A.S.Johnson & B.G.Briggs". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  6. ^ Johnson, L. A. S.; Briggs, Barbara G. (1975). "On the Proteaceae-the evolution and classification of a southern family". Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 70 (2): 83–182. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.1975.tb01644.x.
  7. ^ Weston, P.H. (1995). "Persoonioideae". In McCarthy, P. (ed.). Flora of Australia, volume 16. Melbourne: CSIRO. p. 49.
  8. ^ Holmes, Gareth D.; Weston, Peter H.; Murphy, Daniel J.; Connelly, Carolyn; Cantrill, David J. (2018). "The genealogy of geebungs: Phylogenetic analysis of Persoonia (Proteaceae) and related genera in subfamily Persoonioideae". Australian Systematic Botany. 31 (2): 166. Bibcode:2018AuSyB..31..166H. doi:10.1071/SB16052.