Botanical art
Common names
Smooth Pigface
Etymology
Gunniopsis from the genus Gunnia, named after Ronald Campbell Gunn (1808-1881), a Tasmanian botanist, and from the Greek 'opsis', meaning resembling, alluding to the resemblance of this genus to the genus Gunnia. Calva from the Latin 'calvus', meaning hairless, smooth, referring to the smooth branches and leaves of this species.
Distribution and status
Endemic to South Australia and found on northern Eyre Peninsula and in the Gairdner-Torrens region, growing around the margins of salt lakes. Native. Uncommon in South Australia.
Herbarium regions: Gairdner-Torrens, Eyre Peninsula
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Glabrous annual herb to 20 cm high, with terete and striated branchlets. Leaves succulent, ovate, spathulate or oblong; yellow-green, to 32 mm long and 10 mm wide. Flowers small yellow solitary. Flowering between August and October. Fruits are brown depressed capsule to 5.5 mm across, with two valves. Seeds are small brown reniform seed to 0.7 mm long; covered with short curved ridges. Seed embryo type is peripheral.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between October and December. Pick mature capsules when they turn a straw colour and contain hard dark seeds. Place the capsules in a tray and leave to dry for at least a week. Then rub the dried capsules to dislodge the seeds. Use a sieve to separate 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. From two collections, the seed variability was high, at 100%.
| Location | No. of seeds (weight grams) | Number of plants | Date collected | Collection number Collection location | Date stored | % Viability | Storage temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGA MSB | 13,200 (1.59 g) 13,200 (1.59 g) | 50+ | 1-Nov-2005 | DJD162 Gairdner-Torrens | 28-Jul-2006 | 100% | -18°C |
| BGA MSB | 10,900 (1.53 g) 10,900 (1.53 g) | 50+ | 7-Nov-2005 | MKJ98 Gairdner-Torrens | 28-Jul-2006 | 100% | -18°C |
Number of plants: This is the number of plants from which the seeds were collected.
Collection location: The Herbarium of South Australia's region name.
% Viability: Percentage of filled healthy seeds determined by a cut test or x-ray.