Acrotriche rigida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Acrotriche rigida |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Acrotriche rigida habit (Goulburn River NP) | |
 |
|
| Branching (Wollemi NP) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Acrotriche
|
| Species: |
rigida
|
 |
|
| Occurrence data from the Australasian Virtual Herbarium | |
Acrotriche rigida is a type of small shrub. It belongs to the Ericaceae plant family. This plant grows in dense, tangled clumps. You can only find it naturally in New South Wales, Australia.
What is Acrotriche rigida?
Acrotriche rigida is a tough, bushy shrub. It can grow up to 1.5 meters (about 5 feet) tall. It can also spread out to be just as wide.
What Does It Look Like?
The leaves of Acrotriche rigida are stiff and spread out. They are shaped like a spearhead. Each leaf is about 6 to 11 millimeters long. That's less than half an inch. They are also very narrow, about 1 to 1.6 millimeters wide. The edges of the leaves curl strongly backwards. The leaves look whitish. They have 3 to 5 clear veins that are deeply grooved on the underside. The small stalk that connects the leaf to the stem, called a petiole, is about 0.8 to 1 millimeter long.
The flowers are green. They usually grow in groups of 4 to 7 on a spike. Each flower has small leaf-like parts called bracteoles. These are about 1 to 1.5 millimeters long. The sepals, which protect the flower bud, are 1.4 to 2.8 millimeters long. The main part of the flower, the corolla tube, is 2.5 to 3.5 millimeters long. Its petal-like parts, called lobes, are 1 to 1.8 millimeters long. This plant flowers from July to September.
The plant produces creamy-green fruits. These fruits are round but flattened on top. They are about 2.5 to 3 millimeters wide. They are covered in short, white hairs. The part of the flower that holds the seeds, called the ovary, has 4 or 5 sections.
Where Does It Grow?
You can find Acrotriche rigida in dry sclerophyll forest. It also grows in scrubland. It prefers slopes made of sandstone or granite.
