Alpine westringia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alpine westringia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Lamiaceae
Genus:	Westringia
Species:	W. senifolia
Binomial name
Westringia senifolia F.Muell.
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The Westringia senifolia, also known as alpine westringia, is a special type of shrub. It is only found in Victoria, Australia. This plant can grow up to 2 metres tall and has unique leaves and pretty white flowers.

What is Alpine Westringia?

The alpine westringia is a shrub, which is a plant smaller than a tree but bigger than a herb. It is part of a group of plants called Westringia. This particular plant is special because it is endemic to Victoria. This means it naturally grows only in Victoria and nowhere else in the world.

What Does it Look Like?

The alpine westringia can grow quite tall, reaching up to 2 metres (about 6.5 feet).

• Its leaves are narrow and have two different sides.
• The top side of the leaves is green and shiny.
• The bottom side is paler and has tiny hairs, making it feel a bit fuzzy.
• The plant produces beautiful white flowers.
• These white flowers often have small red spots on them.
• In Australia, these flowers usually bloom during the summer months, from December to February.

Where Does it Grow?

This unique shrub likes to live in high places. You can find it growing on tall, rocky mountains in Victoria.

• Some of the mountains where it grows include Mount Buffalo.
• It also grows on Mount Buller.
• You can find it on Mount Wellington.
• Another home for it is Mount Donna Buang.

These rocky mountain environments are the perfect home for the alpine westringia.

Who Discovered It?

The alpine westringia was first officially studied and named in 1855. A famous scientist named Ferdinand von Mueller described it. He was a botanist, which is a scientist who studies plants. Ferdinand von Mueller worked for the Victorian Government at the time. He studied plant samples that were collected from Mount Buffalo.

Is it Found Anywhere Else?

Sometimes, plants can be mistaken for each other. In Western Australia, there were some plants that people thought were a type of Westringia senifolia. However, scientists later found out that these plants were actually a different species. They are now known as Westringia baxteri. So, the true Westringia senifolia is still only found in Victoria.