Boronia grimshawii facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Boronia grimshawii |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Boronia
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| Species: |
grimshawii
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Boronia grimshawii is a special plant that belongs to the citrus family, called Rutaceae. It's found only in certain mountain areas of central Queensland, Australia. This plant is a tall, bushy shrub with many branches. Its leaves are simple, and their undersides are pale and very hairy. The flowers are pink and have four petals.
What Does It Look Like?
Boronia grimshawii is a shrub that stands upright and has many branches. It can grow up to about 1.5 meters (5 feet) tall. Its young branches are covered in tiny, white, star-shaped hairs.
The leaves are shaped like an oval or a spear. They are about 10 to 26 millimeters (0.4 to 1 inch) long and 4 to 10 millimeters (0.2 to 0.4 inches) wide. The small stalk that connects the leaf to the stem, called a petiole, is about 1 to 2 millimeters (0.04 to 0.08 inches) long. The underside of the leaf is a bit lighter in color than the top.
This plant has pink to white flowers. You might find up to three flowers on a tiny stalk, which is about 0.5 to 2 millimeters (0.02 to 0.08 inches) long. Each flower has four sepals, which are like small, leaf-like parts that protect the flower bud. These sepals are egg-shaped or triangular, very hairy, and about 2 to 2.5 millimeters (0.08 to 0.1 inches) long.
The four petals of the flower are about 6 to 10 millimeters (0.2 to 0.4 inches) long and 4 to 6 millimeters (0.16 to 0.24 inches) wide. They get a little bigger as the fruit starts to grow. Inside the flower, there are eight stamens, which are the parts that produce pollen. These stamens are different lengths.
Boronia grimshawii usually flowers between June and October. The fruit that develops is about 5 millimeters (0.2 inches) long and 2.5 millimeters (0.1 inches) wide.
How Was It Named?
The plant Boronia grimshawii was officially described and named in 2003. This was done by a scientist named Marco F. Duretto. The description was published in a science journal called Muelleria. The plant was named after an Australian botanist, Paul Grimshaw, to honor his work. The second part of its scientific name, grimshawii, is a tribute to him.
Where Does It Live?
This type of boronia plant grows in woodland areas. However, it's only known to exist in one specific spot. This single group of plants is found on a worn-down hillside on private land near Gayndah in south-east Queensland.
Is It Protected?
Yes, Boronia grimshawii is considered "vulnerable." This means it's a plant that needs protection because its numbers are low. The Queensland Government protects it under their Nature Conservation Act 1992.
