Asterolasia rupestris facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Asterolasia rupestris |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Asterolasia
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| Species: |
rupestris
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Asterolasia rupestris is a type of shrub that stands upright. It grows only in New South Wales, Australia. This plant has unique leaves that are shaped like a heart or triangle. They are covered in tiny, star-shaped hairs. Its flowers are yellow and grow in small groups. The back of the petals also has rust-colored, star-shaped hairs.
Contents
What Does Asterolasia rupestris Look Like?
This plant is a shrub that usually grows up to 1.5 meters (about 5 feet) tall. Its leaves are shaped like a heart or a triangle. They are about 9 to 20 millimeters long and 6 to 15 millimeters wide. The leaves sit on a short stalk called a petiole.
The leaves are covered in many star-shaped hairs. The underside of the leaves has hairs that look like a cobweb.
Its Flowers
The yellow flowers grow in small clusters of three to six. These clusters appear where leaves meet the stem (called leaf axils) or at the ends of branches. Each cluster grows on a stalk called a peduncle, which is 4 to 9 millimeters long. Each individual flower has its own small stalk, called a pedicel, which is 6 to 15 millimeters long.
The small green parts under the petals, called sepals, are about 0.5 to 1 millimeter long. The yellow petals are oval-shaped and 5 to 9 millimeters long. The back of the petals is covered with rust-colored, star-shaped hairs. Each flower has ten stamens, which are the parts that produce pollen. This plant usually flowers in spring.
How Was Asterolasia rupestris Named?
The plant Asterolasia rupestris was officially described in 2002. It was named by a scientist named Bryan J. Mole. He wrote about it in a science journal called Muelleria. The first samples of the plant used for this description were collected in 1987 on Mount Kaputar.
Different Types of Asterolasia rupestris
In the same journal, Bryan J. Mole also described two different types, or subspecies, of Asterolasia rupestris:
- Asterolasia rupestris subsp. recurva: This type has leaf edges that curl downwards.
- Asterolasia rupestris subsp. rupestris: This is the main type, and its leaf edges are flat.
Where Does Asterolasia rupestris Grow?
This plant likes to grow in gullies, which are small valleys, within low forests.
Specific Locations
The subspecies rupestris is found on the higher parts of Mount Kaputar. There are also old records of it from Mount Canobolas. The subspecies recurva is only known from Parlour Mountain. This mountain is located northwest of Armidale in New South Wales.
