Boronia splendida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Boronia splendida |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Boronia
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| Species: |
splendida
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| Occurrence data from Australasian Virtual Herbarium | |
Boronia splendida is a beautiful plant that belongs to the citrus family, called Rutaceae. It's a special kind of plant because it's only found in Queensland, Australia. This plant is a shrub that stands upright and has pretty pink or white flowers with four petals.
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
Boronia splendida is an upright shrub, which means it grows straight up like a small bush. It can reach about 2.5 m (8 ft) (about 8 feet) tall. Most parts of the plant, like its branches, leaves, and flower parts, are covered in tiny hairs that look like little stars!
Its leaves are long and narrow, kind of like a line or a slim oval. They are usually 9–50 mm (0.4–2 in) (about 0.3 to 2 inches) long and 1–2.5 mm (0.04–0.1 in) (about 0.04 to 0.1 inches) wide. The underside of the leaves is much lighter in color and also has those star-like hairs.
The Flowers
The flowers usually grow one by one, or sometimes up to three together. They appear where the leaf meets the stem (this spot is called a leaf axil). Each flower sits on a very short stalk called a peduncle. The individual flowers then have their own small stem, called a pedicel, which is about 2–6 mm (0.079–0.236 in) 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, about 2.5–4.5 mm (0.098–0.18 in) long and 1.5–2.5 mm (0.059–0.098 in) wide. The main parts of the flower are the four petals, which are pink to white. They are about 6–10.5 mm (0.24–0.41 in) long and 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) wide, and they are hairy on the back.
Inside the flower, there are eight stamens. Stamens are the parts that produce pollen. These stamens have a large extra piece at their end. You can see these beautiful flowers blooming from March all the way to November.
How It Got Its Name
Naming the Plant
The plant Boronia splendida was officially described and named in 1999. This was done by a scientist named Marco F. Duretto. His description was published in a science magazine called Austrobaileya.
Meaning of Splendida
The second part of its name, splendida, comes from a Latin word. It means "bright" or "shining." This name was chosen because the flowers of this plant are quite large and stand out!
Where Does It Grow?
This type of boronia plant grows in woodlands. You can find it in the area between two towns in Queensland: Chinchilla and Dalby.
Is It Protected?
Boronia splendida is considered a rare plant. Not many people have found or collected samples of it. However, it is currently listed as "least concern" by the Queensland Government. This means that, for now, experts believe it is not at high risk of disappearing. This status is under the rules of the Nature Conservation Act 1992.
