Asterolasia grandiflora facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Asterolasia grandiflora |
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Asterolasia
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grandiflora
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Asterolasia grandiflora is a special kind of plant that grows as a small, open shrub. It's found only in the southwest part of Western Australia. This plant has interesting leaves that are shaped like eggs or ovals, and its flowers are usually pink to purple. The flowers grow in small groups and have tiny, star-shaped hairs on the back of their petals.
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What is Asterolasia grandiflora?
Asterolasia grandiflora is a weak, open shrub or sub-shrub. This means it's a small, woody plant that doesn't grow very tall, usually between 20–60 cm (7.9–23.6 in) (about 8 to 24 inches) high.
Its leaves are shaped like an oblong, an ellipse, or an egg. They are about 4–20 mm (0.16–0.79 in) long and 1.5–6 mm (0.059–0.236 in) wide. Each leaf sits on a short stalk called a petiole. When the leaves are young, their top surface has star-shaped hairs. The bottom surface is always covered with many star-shaped hairs.
The flowers grow in groups of three or four. You can find them where the leaves meet the stem (called axils) or at the ends of the branches. Each flower has its own small stalk, called a pedicel, which is about 5–17 mm (0.20–0.67 in) long. These stalks are also covered with thick, star-shaped hairs.
The flower petals are pink to purple. They are broadly elliptical or egg-shaped, about 6–15 mm (0.24–0.59 in) long and 3–9 mm (0.12–0.35 in) wide. The back of the petals has thick, star-shaped hairs. These hairs form a kind of shield over the flower bud before it opens. Inside the flower, there are between twelve and twenty-four stamens, which are the parts that produce pollen.
How it Got its Name
This plant was first officially described in 1863 by a scientist named William Jackson Hooker. He gave it the name Phebalium grandiflorum. He wrote about it in a book called Icones Plantarum. Later in the same year, another scientist named George Bentham changed its name to Asterolasia grandiflora. He published this new name in his book Flora Australiensis.
Where Does it Grow?
Asterolasia grandiflora grows in specific places in Western Australia. You can find it on hills and rocky areas, mostly between the towns of Toodyay and York.
Protecting This Plant
The Government of Western Australia's Department of Parks and Wildlife has a special list for plants that need protection. Asterolasia grandiflora is on this list as "Priority Four". This means it is considered rare or close to being threatened, so it's important to help protect it.
