Acaena minor facts for kids

Acaena minor is a special kind of flowering plant. It's only found in a few places far away in the Southern Ocean. These places are Australia's subantarctic Macquarie Island and New Zealand's Campbell and Auckland Islands.

What Does It Look Like?

Acaena minor is a low-growing plant that spreads along the ground. It's a type of herb, meaning it doesn't have a woody stem like a tree. Its main stems can grow up to 700 millimeters (about 27 inches) long. It also has smaller branches that stand up, reaching about 50 millimeters (2 inches) tall.

The leaves of this plant are usually 15–80 millimeters (about 0.6 to 3 inches) long and 10–25 millimeters (about 0.4 to 1 inch) wide. The top side of the leaves is smooth. The bottom side has long, soft, silky hairs. Each leaf has 6 to 7 pairs of smaller parts called leaflets. The ones at the bottom are very tiny, and the others are close together.

The plant's flower stalk, called a scape, is about 30–40 millimeters (1.2 to 1.6 inches) long. At the top of this stalk is a flower head, which can be up to 14 millimeters (0.5 inches) across. Each flower has two stamens, which are the male parts. These stamens have purple anthers, where pollen is made. The flower also has a white style, which is part of the female reproductive system.

After the flower blooms, the stalk that holds the fruit grows longer, up to 80 millimeters (about 3 inches). The head of the fruit can become up to 25 millimeters (1 inch) wide.

Where Does It Grow?

Macquarie Island

On Macquarie Island, Acaena minor is found in many places. It usually grows in drier areas. It prefers these spots more than its relative, Acaena magellanica, which is another plant from the same group.

On Macquarie Island, Acaena minor flowers from September to January. This means you can see its blooms during those months. The plant then produces its fruits from January to April.