Kingdom Plantae Family Proteaceae Scientific name Persoonia longifolia | Order Proteales Genus Persoonia Rank Species | |
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Similar Persoonia elliptica, Persoonia, Persoonia virgata, Persoonia nutans, Persoonia pinifolia | ||
The upright snottygobble (Persoonia longifolia), also known as the long-leaf persoonia or just snottygobble, is a species of tall shrub or small tree in the plant genus Persoonia, reaching 1 to 5 metres (3–17 ft) in height. It is found in the Jarrah forests of southwest Western Australia. This species is characterised by its long narrow dark green leaves, dark yellow to orange flowers and distinctive flaky dark red bark.
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Description
This erect shrub or tree reaches about 5 metres (17 feet) high, usually with few branches. Its dark green leaves are narrow and slightly elliptical, and can grow up to 220 millimetres in length. The distinctive bark is dark red to bronze colour with many papery layers which flake easily. Within the bark are epicormic buds which sprout new growth after bushfire.
Snottygobbles flower over the summer months, with dark yellow to orange flowers that occur in short sprays. The individual flowers are 12 to 14mm in length with orange to brown hairs. The flowers split into four narrow segments which curl back to reveal the stamen. The fruit are green initially, but change to a yellow-green colour a few days after falling.
Taxonomy
Persoonia longifolia was first collected by botanist Robert Brown around 1801. The species name derived from the Latin terms longus "long", and folium "leaf". Within the genus Persoonia, it 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.
Distribution and habitat
It is found in the southwest of Western Australia from Albany to the southeastern edges of Perth. It occurs in the Jarrah, Karri, Marri and Tingle forest.
Ecology
Snottygobble is pollinated by native bees. it is also visited by the Western Brown Butterfly (Heteronympha merope duboulayi).
Cultivation
Like all members of the genus Persoonia, difficulties in propagation are a considerable barrier to potential cultivation of the plant. Seed will either not germinate or only germinate after a prolonged period of a year or more.