Prior names
Zygophyllum sp. Witjira (DJD3445)
Etymology
Roepera (formally Zygophyllum which is from the Greek 'zygon' meaning pair and 'phyllon' meaning leaf; referring to the pair of leaflets making up each leaf) is named after Johannes August Christian Roeper (1801 -1885), a German botanist and physician. Witjira manual script name referring to the location of the type specimen.
Distribution and status
Endemic to South Australia and currently only known from Witjira National Park, growing in gravelly soils on creekline margins. Native. Rare in South Australia.
Herbarium region: Lake Eyre
NRM region: South Australian Arid Lands
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Erect annual herb with green, fleshy Y-shaped leaves with ovate leaflets. Flowers bright yellow, large with 5 petals. Flowering between July to September. Fruits 5-angled capsule to 10 mm long, abruptly truncate at base. Seeds are dark brown to black, wedge-shaped to 4 mm long and 2.5 mm wide, with wrinkled surface. Seed embryo type is spatulate fully developed.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between September and November. Collect semi-dried and dried capsules by running your hands through the stems of the plant. Mature fruits will come off easily and will have a hard and dark seed inside each segment. Place the capsules in a tray and leave to dry for 1 to 2 weeks, depending on how green the fruit is. Then rub the dried capsules to dislodge the seeds. Use a sieve to remove the unwanted material. Store the seeds with a desiccant such as dried silica beads or dry rice, in an air tight container in a cool and dry place. Seed viability is usually high.
Location | No. of seeds (weight grams) | Number of plants | Date collected | Collection number Collection location | Date stored | % Viability | Storage temperature |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BGA MSB | 2,300 (9.65 g) 2,300 (9.65 g) | 100+ | 21-Sep-2016 | DJD3445 Lake Eyre | 1-Nov-2017 | 100% | -18°C |