Pink flannel flower facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pink flannel flower
Scientific classification
Genus:	Actinotus
Species:	forsythii
Occurrence data from AVH

Actinotus forsythii, also known as the pink flannel flower or ridge flannel flower, is a beautiful plant. It belongs to the family Apiaceae. This family also includes well-known plants like carrots and parsley! This special flower is native to the eastern coast of Australia. You can find it growing in New South Wales and Victoria.

What Does the Pink Flannel Flower Look Like?

The pink flannel flower is a herbaceous perennial plant. This means it has soft, green stems instead of woody ones. It also lives for more than two years. Its stems can grow up to 50 centimeters long. They often trail along the ground.

Leaves and Flowers

The leaves of this plant are quite interesting. They are divided into 3 to 7 parts. Each leaf blade is about 6.4 to 18 millimeters long and 10 millimeters wide. They grow on small stalks called petioles, which are 4.5 to 20 millimeters long.

The flowers grow in a special cluster called an umbel. These umbels look like small heads. They are about 7.5 to 20 millimeters across, including the special leaf-like parts called bracts. Each flower cluster has many tiny flowers. There are up to 60 female flowers in the center. Male flowers circle around them. These flower clusters sit on long stalks called peduncles, which are 3.8 to 10.3 centimeters long.

The bracts around the flowers are shaped like an ellipse. They are about 7 millimeters long and 1.5 to 2 millimeters wide. They can be white or pink and feel silky on top. The underside is green and smooth.

Tiny Flower Details

The male flowers have very small, rounded sepals. Sepals are like tiny leaves that protect the flower bud. Their petals are thin and papery, only about 0.3 millimeters long. The female flowers are even tinier. They have small sepals that form a skirt around the top of the ovary. They do not have any petals.

When Does It Bloom?

The pink flannel flower blooms from January to May. This is during the warmer months in Australia.

Where Does It Grow?

You can find the pink flannel flower in damp areas. It often grows in eucalypt forests and heaths. It prefers shallow soils that are found on sandstone.

Gallery

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  Flower and possible pollinators

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  Flower and buds

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  Habitat

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  Habit