Bolivia Hill rice-flower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bolivia Hill rice-flower |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Cultivated specimen | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pimelea
|
| Species: |
venosa
|
The Bolivia Hill rice-flower (scientific name: Pimelea venosa) is a special flowering plant. It belongs to the Thymelaeaceae family. This plant only grows in a small area of New South Wales, Australia. It's a straight-growing shrub with fuzzy stems and leaves. Its flowers are white and grow in small clusters.
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
The Bolivia Hill rice-flower is a shrub that stands upright. It can grow up to about 1.5 meters (5 feet) tall. Its stems and leaves are covered in long, soft, whitish hairs, making them feel fuzzy.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves are shaped like an oval or a spear, wider in the middle and narrower at the bottom. They are usually 10 to 15 millimeters long and 4 to 6 millimeters wide. The flowers are white and have both male and female parts. They grow in small groups of three to six flowers. At the base of these flower groups, there are two to six small, leaf-like parts called bracts. After the flowers, the plant produces small, oval, green fruits. These fruits are about 4 millimeters long.
How It Got Its Name
The scientific name Pimelea venosa was first officially described in 1983. A botanist named S. Threlfall wrote about it in a science journal called Brunonia. The plant was first found by Ernst Betche near a place called Bolivia in 1886. This is why it's commonly known as the Bolivia Hill rice-flower.
Where Does It Live?
The Bolivia Hill rice-flower is mostly found near Bolivia in the Northern Tablelands area of New South Wales. In the past, it was also seen near Tenterfield.
Finding the Plant
For a while, it was hard to find this plant. Surveys in 1999 and after a big bushfire in 2012 didn't find any plants in places where they used to grow. However, after a small fire in late 2019, about 200 new young plants were discovered! This shows how important fire can be for some plants to grow.
Why Is It Endangered?
The Bolivia Hill rice-flower is listed as "endangered" by the Australian Government. This means it's at high risk of disappearing forever.
Main Threats to the Plant
There are a few reasons why this plant is in danger:
- Habitat disturbance: Its home is being changed or damaged.
- Grazing animals: Wild goats eat the plants, which stops them from growing and spreading.
- Fires: The wrong kind of fires, either too often or not often enough, can harm the plant.
- Small living area: It only grows in a very small area, which makes it more vulnerable to problems.
