Boronia yarrowmerensis facts for kids

Boronia yarrowmerensis is a special type of woody bush. It grows straight up and is only found in Queensland, Australia. This plant has unique leaves that look a bit like feathers. Its pretty white flowers grow in small groups of up to seven. You can find these flowers tucked into the spots where leaves meet the stem.

What Does Boronia yarrowmerensis Look Like?

Boronia yarrowmerensis is a woody shrub that usually grows to about half a meter (0.5 m) tall. It has interesting leaves that can be either pinnate (like a feather with leaflets on both sides of a central stem) or bipinnate (where the "feather" branches out again).

Leaves and Flowers

The leaves are usually between 21 and 35 millimeters long and 24 to 44 millimeters wide. Each leaf has three to seven smaller parts called leaflets. These leaflets sit on a stalk called a petiole, which is about 5.5 to 13 millimeters long. The leaflet at the very end is thin and straight, about 5 to 17 millimeters long. The side leaflets are similar but a bit longer.

The flowers are white and grow in groups of up to seven. They appear in the leaf axils, which are the angles between a leaf and the stem. Each flower group sits on a tiny stalk about 1 millimeter long. The sepals, which are like small leaves protecting the flower bud, are round and about 1 millimeter long and wide. The petals, the showy white parts, are about 2 to 2.5 millimeters long.

Other Features

The stamens (the parts that produce pollen) and the style (part of the female reproductive organ) are covered in tiny hairs. The stigma, which receives pollen, is very small. This plant has been seen flowering in October. After flowering, it produces a smooth, hairless fruit called a capsule. This capsule is about 3 millimeters long and 1.5 millimeters wide.

How Was Boronia yarrowmerensis Named?

The plant Boronia yarrowmerensis was officially named in 2003. It was described by a scientist named Marco F. Duretto. He found a sample of the plant near a place called Yarrowmere Station homestead.

The Meaning of the Name

The second part of its scientific name, yarrowmerensis, tells us where it was first found. It refers to the Yarrowmere area in Queensland, which is its "type location." The description of the plant was published in a scientific journal called Muelleria.

Where Does Boronia yarrowmerensis Live?

This special boronia plant is only known to grow in one specific area. It lives in North Queensland, Australia.

Habitat and Environment

It prefers to grow in Eucalyptus forests or woodlands. You can find it in sandy soil within these areas. This means it likes a specific type of environment to thrive.

Is Boronia yarrowmerensis Protected?

The Queensland Government Department of Environment and Science keeps track of plants like Boronia yarrowmerensis. They have listed it as "least concern."

What "Least Concern" Means

"Least concern" means that this plant is not currently at high risk of disappearing. It has a healthy population, and there are no immediate threats to its survival. This is good news for the plant!