Kingdom Plantae Rank Genus | Family Goodeniaceae Order Asterales | |
Similar Velleia, Selliera, Brunonia, Goodenia, Dampiera | ||
Coopernookia is a plant genus of understory xerophytes and mesophytes in the Goodeniaceae family. Species are distributed in south, southwestern, and southeastern Australia. Some species are threatened with habitat loss.
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Description
Coopernookia species are small shrublets. Leaves are simple and hairy (in some species hairs may be glandular and/or of a complex structure), arranged alternate, and spiralling. Flowers are hermaphrodite, 5-merous, and formed in whorls (some species with four whorls). Fruits are dehiscent, two-seeded and two-celled valvular capsules, and non-fleshy. Seeds are always oily.
Taxonomy
As a newly formed genus in 1968, Coopernookia was first published in Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 92: 209. 1968., by botanist Roger Charles Carolin. Coopernookia was separated from several species that were originally placed in the genus Goodenia by botanist Robert Brown. The type was originally Goodenia barbata R.Br., now Coopernookia barbata (R.Br.) Carolin. This makes G. barbata (first described and published in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae van-Diemen 576. 1810.) a synonym of, and the basionym to, C. barbata. G. cistifolia A.Cunn. ex DC. is also a synonym of C. barbata. The generic name Coopernookia is a toponym derived from Coopernook State Forest in New South Wales.