Family:
Proteaceae
Persoonia rigida
Hairy Geebung
(syn. P. spathulata)
Other Names: Stiff Geebung
First Nations Name(s):
Name Origin:
Persoonia — after Christiaan Hendrik Persoon (1755-1837), French mycologist.
rigida — from Latin rigida, stiff, referring to habit.
Regional Subspecies:
Occurrence:
Regional:
Predominantly east of the Olympic Highway in rocky outcrops and hill country.
Australia:
NSW, Vic.
Habitat:
Woodland to dry sclerophyll forest or drier heaths, in sandy or rocky soil.
Habit:
Dense erect to spreading shrub 1-3 m high with hairy branchlets and pale green foliage.
Site Preference:
Well-drained stony acidic soil, in semi/ dappled shade or full sun. Tolerates frost.
Flowering:
Yellow, Nov-Jan. Rarely profuse.
Seed Collection:
Collect ripe fruit from ground beneath parent plants.
Propagation:
From cuttings of very young growth, or seed (difficult to germinate). Cuttings callus well but do not root readily. Hormone treatment appears to improve rooting. Before sowing, compost fruit to remove flesh and rinse seeds well. Appears to be germination inhibitor, but composting fruit or treating seed with giberellic acid should overcome this.
Regeneration:
From seed, after fire.
VALUES:
Shade & Shelter:
Useful low-level cover in windbreaks.
Wildlife:
Flowers pollinated by native bees seeking nectar. Possums, including gliders, eat fruit.
First Nations:
Fruits eaten (skins and seeds discarded).
Ornamental:
Attractive ornamental. Decorative foliage and colourful flowers.
Other:
Potential for cut foliage production.