Johnsonia

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Monocots
Ordo: Asparagales

Familia: Asphodelaceae
Subfamilia: Hemerocallidoideae
Genus: Johnsonia
Species: J. acaulis – J. inconspicua – J. lupulina – J. pubescens – J. teretifolia
Name

Johnsonia R.Br., Prodr. Fl. Nov. Holl.: 287 (1810), nom. cons.

Type species: Johnsonia lupulina R.Br., Prodr. Fl. Nov. Holl.: 287 (1810)

Synonyms

Homonyms
Johnsonia Mill. Gard. Dict. Abr. (ed. 4) (1754) homotypic synonym of Callicarpa L., Sp. Pl.: 111 (1753) Lamiaceae
Johnsonia Adans. Fam. Pl. 2: 343. (1763) homotypic synonym of Cedrela P. Browne Meliaceae

References

Brown, R. (1810) Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae 287. BHL
Govaerts, R. et al. 2015. Johnsonia in World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2015 Sept. 19. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2015. Johnsonia. Published online. Accessed: Sept. 19 2015.
Tropicos.org 2015. Johnsonia. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published online. Accessed: 19 Sept. 2015.
Govaerts, R. et al. 2015. Johnsonia in Kew Science Plants of the World online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 15 March 2015.
Johnsonia in: Australian Plant Census (APC) 2018. IBIS database, Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research, Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria. Accessed: 2018 March 15.

Johnsonia is a genus five species of herbs in the family Asphodelaceae, all of which are endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. They are grass-like plants with minute flowers surrounded by bracts which are often tinged with white, pink or cream.

Description

All the plants in this genus are rhizomatous, tufted, perennial herbs with grass-like leaves which all emerge from the base of the plant. The bases of the leaves surround the stem. The flower spike is leafless, more or less the same length as the leaves, with large, dry overlapping bracts surrounding minute flowers. All species flower between August and December.[2][3]
Taxonomy and naming

The genus was first formally described in 1810 by Robert Brown in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen. The type species is Johnsonia lupulina.[4][5] The name Johnsonia is in recognition of the 17th century English naturalist, Thomas Johnson.[2]

The following is a list of species of Johnsonia recognised by the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families as at January 2019:[1]
Species list

Johnsonia acaulis Endl. in J.G.C.Lehmann
Johnsonia inconspicua Keighery
Johnsonia lupulina R.Br.
Johnsonia pubescens Lindl.
Johnsonia teretifolia Endl. in J.G.C.Lehmann

Distribution and habitat

Johnsonia species all occur in the south-west of Western Australia in the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest, Mallee, Swan Coastal Plain and Warren biogeographic zones. Each species has its own habitat requirements.[6]
References

"Johnsonia". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Keighery, Greg. "Johnsonia". Australian National Botanic Gardens - flora online. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
"Johnsonia R.Br". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
"Johnsonia". APNI. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
Brown, Robert (1810). Prodromus florae Novae Hollandiae. London. p. 287. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
Paczkowska, Grazyna; Chapman, Alex R. (2000). The Western Australian flora : a descriptive catalogue. Perth: Wildflower Society of Western Australia. p. 32. ISBN 0646402439.