Wongan Hills boronia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wongan Hills boronia |
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| Occurrence data from Australasian Virtual Herbarium |
Boronia ericifolia, also known as Wongan Hills boronia, is a special plant. It belongs to the citrus family, just like oranges and lemons! This plant is only found in one small area in the south-west of Western Australia. It's an upright, bushy shrub with unique leaves and pretty pink, white, or creamy yellow flowers. Each flower has four petals and eight stamens. You can only find this boronia near the towns of Wongan Hills and Moora.
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What Does Wongan Hills Boronia Look Like?
Wongan Hills boronia is an upright, bushy shrub. It can grow up to about 1.5 meters (5 feet) tall. Its branches and some parts of its flowers are covered with soft, fuzzy hairs.
The leaves of this plant are special because they are "trifoliate." This means each leaf is made up of three smaller leaflets. The end leaflet is usually between 4 and 11 millimeters long. The two side leaflets are a bit shorter, about 3 to 10 millimeters long.
The flowers grow in small groups. Each flower sits on a tiny, hairy stalk called a "pedicel." The four sepals (leaf-like parts that protect the bud) are narrow and triangular. They are also hairy on their underside.
The petals can be pink, white, or creamy yellow. They are about 5 to 7 millimeters long and also have hairs on their underside. Inside the flower, there are eight stamens, which are the parts that produce pollen. Wongan Hills boronia usually flowers from June to October. After flowering, it produces a smooth, round fruit called a "capsule." This fruit ripens between August and October.
How Did Wongan Hills Boronia Get Its Name?
The Wongan Hills boronia was first officially described in 1863. A famous botanist named George Bentham gave it its formal name, Boronia ericifolia. He described it from a plant sample collected by another botanist, James Drummond.
The second part of its name, ericifolia, helps describe the plant. It comes from two Latin words: erica, which means "heath" or "heather," and folium, which means "leaf." So, ericifolia means "heath-leaved," because its leaves look a bit like those of a heath plant.
Where Does Wongan Hills Boronia Grow?
Wongan Hills boronia grows in specific areas in Western Australia. You can find it in woodlands and heathlands. These are areas with many trees and shrubs. It is only found near the towns of Wongan Hills and Moora.
Is Wongan Hills Boronia Protected?
Yes, Wongan Hills boronia is a protected plant. The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has classified it as "Priority Two."
"Priority Two" means that this plant is not very well known. It has only been found in one or a few locations. This special classification helps protect the plant and its habitat, making sure it can continue to grow in the wild.
