Boronia quadrilata facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Boronia quadrilata |
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The Boronia quadrilata is a special kind of plant that belongs to the citrus family. It is found only in a small part of the Northern Territory in Australia. This plant is a straight-growing shrub with unique wedge-shaped leaves and pale yellow flowers. It's quite rare, with only about fifteen plants known to exist!
About the Boronia quadrilata
The Boronia quadrilata is a shrub that usually grows to about 1.5 metres (5 feet) tall. Its stems are somewhat square-shaped. The plant is mostly smooth, except for its petals, which have tiny star-shaped hairs, especially on the back.
Its leaves are simple and attach directly to the stem without a stalk. They are shaped like a wedge, about 23 to 55 millimetres (1 to 2 inches) long and 12 to 20 millimetres (0.5 to 0.8 inches) wide.
The flowers grow on a small stalk, and each flower has its own tiny stem. The sepals (the green leaf-like parts that protect the flower bud) are green and triangular. They are larger than the petals, measuring about 5.5 to 6 millimetres (0.22 to 0.24 inches) long. The petals are pale yellow, about 4 to 5 millimetres (0.16 to 0.20 inches) long. Both the sepals and petals grow bigger as the fruit develops.
This plant has been seen flowering in March, May, and August. Its fruit is a small capsule, about 6 millimetres (0.24 inches) long and 3.5 millimetres (0.14 inches) wide.
How it was Named
The Boronia quadrilata was officially described in 1997 by a scientist named Marco F. Duretto. He published his description in a scientific journal called Australian Systematic Botany.
Where it Lives
This special boronia plant grows in sandy spots within sandstone areas. It can also be found on rocky slopes in open woodlands. You can find it in the Magela Creek gorges, which are east of Kakadu National Park.
There are only about ten to fifteen plants in total, all living on one single ridge. This makes it a very rare plant!
Why it Needs Protection
The Australian Government lists this boronia as "vulnerable." This means it is at risk of becoming extinct.
The main reasons it's in danger are:
- It has a very small population.
- It lives in a very small area.
- Changes in how fires happen in its habitat.
Protecting these few plants is very important to make sure they don't disappear forever.
