''Gunniopsis propinqua'' is a species of
succulent
In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents, are plants with parts that are thickened, fleshy, and engorged, usually to retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. The word ''succulent'' comes from the Latin word ''sucus'', meani ...
plant in the iceplant family,
Aizoaceae
The Aizoaceae (), or fig-marigold family, is a large family of dicotyledonous flowering plants containing 135 genera and about 1,800 species. Several genera are commonly known as 'ice plants' or 'carpet weeds'. The Aizoaceae are also referred to a ...
. It is endemic to
Western Australia
Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...
.
Description
The prostrate annual or perennial herb typically grows to a height of . It blooms between August and September producing white to pink flowers.
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]
Distribution and habitat
It is found among lateritic outcrops and winter wet area with scattered distribution in the Mid West
The Mid West region is one of the nine regions of Western Australia. It is a sparsely populated region extending from the west coast of Western Australia, about north and south of its administrative centre of Geraldton and inland to east of W ...
, Goldfields-Esperance and Pilbara
The Pilbara () is a large, dry, sparsely populated regions of Western Australia, region in the north of Western Australia. It is known for its Indigenous Australians, Aboriginal people; wealth disparity; its ancient landscapes; the prevailing r ...
regions of Western Australia
Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...
where it grows in stony, sandy or loamy soils.[
]
Taxonomy
The species was first formally described
A species description is a formal scientific description of a newly encountered species, typically articulated through a scientific publication. Its purpose is to provide a clear description of a new species of organism and explain how it differ ...
by Robert Chinnock
Robert James (Bob) Chinnock (born 3 July 1943) is a New Zealand-born Australian botanist who worked at the State Herbarium of South Australia as a senior biologist. He retired in 2008 but still works as an honorary research associate.
His resear ...
in 1983 in the article ''The Australian genus Gunniopsis Pax (Aizoaceae)'' in the ''Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens''.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q15590528
propinqua
Flora of Western Australia
Plants described in 1983