Baeckea ovalifolia facts for kids

Baeckea ovalifolia is a special kind of plant, a shrub, that grows in the sandy, open areas called heathlands near the coast of Western Australia. It is quite common in these areas.

What Does Baeckea ovalifolia Look Like?

This shrub usually stands up straight and can grow to be about 0.5 to 2 metres (2 to 7 ft) tall. Its leaves are shaped like long, narrow ovals or wider egg shapes, and they are usually 3 to 6 millimetres (0.12 to 0.24 in) long.

Flowers of the Shrub

Baeckea ovalifolia produces pretty pink-white flowers. These flowers bloom between May and November. Each flower is quite small, about 15 mm (0.59 in) across.

Where Does Baeckea ovalifolia Grow?

You can often find this plant on rocky slopes. It likes to grow in sandy soils, especially where there are rocks like quartzite or granite. It lives in a specific part of the south coast of Western Australia.

Who Discovered Baeckea ovalifolia?

The plant was first officially described in 1860 by a famous botanist named Ferdinand von Mueller. He first called it Harmogia ovalifolia. He wrote about it in his book called Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae. A few years later, in 1864, Mueller decided to move the plant into a different group of plants, which is the Baeckea group, and that's why it's now known as Baeckea ovalifolia.