Buttercups facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Buttercups |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Verticordia
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| Species: |
aurea
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Verticordia aurea, often called buttercups, is a beautiful flowering plant. It belongs to the myrtle family, called Myrtaceae. This plant only grows naturally in the south-west part of Western Australia. It's a thin, sometimes bushy shrub. It has one main stem, leaves shaped like cylinders, and lovely golden-yellow flowers that smell nice. These flowers usually appear in spring.
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What Does Verticordia aurea Look Like?
Verticordia aurea is a slender, sometimes bushy shrub. It grows from a single main stem. This plant can reach a height of about 0.7 to 1.2 meters (2.3 to 3.9 feet). It can spread out to be 15 to 45 centimeters (6 to 18 inches) wide.
Its leaves are long and thin, almost perfectly round if you cut them in half. They are about 10 to 30 millimeters (0.4 to 1.2 inches) long. The leaves closer to the bottom of the branches are longer than those near the flowers. Each leaf has a pointed tip.
The Flowers
The flowers of Verticordia aurea have a pleasant scent. They grow in clusters at the ends of the branches. Each flower sits on a stalk that is 10 to 27 millimeters (0.4 to 1.1 inches) long.
The part of the flower that holds the petals and sepals, called the floral cup, looks like half a sphere. It's about 1.5 to 2 millimeters (0.06 to 0.08 inches) long. This cup has 10 ribs and a bumpy surface.
The sepals are golden-yellow and look like feathers with 6 to 9 small parts. They are about 3.5 to 4 millimeters (0.14 to 0.16 inches) long. The petals are also golden-yellow. They are about 4 to 4.5 millimeters (0.16 to 0.18 inches) long and are almost perfectly round. Their edges are slightly jagged. The style, which is part of the flower's reproductive system, is about 4 millimeters (0.16 inches) long and straight. It is also smooth, meaning it has no hairs.
Verticordia aurea usually blooms from September to December. This plant is very similar to Verticordia nitens and V. patens. You can tell Verticordia aurea apart because its golden flowers are larger and have a deeper yellow color.
How Verticordia aurea Got Its Name
The plant Verticordia aurea was first officially described by a scientist named Alex George in 1991. He wrote about it in a scientific journal called Nuytsia. He based his description on plants he found south of Eneabba.
The second part of its scientific name, aurea, comes from the Latin word aurum. This word means "gold," which perfectly describes the golden color of its flowers!
Alex George placed this species in a group called Chrysoma. Within that group, it belongs to a smaller section called Chrysorhoe, along with V. patens and V. nitens.
Where Verticordia aurea Grows
This type of verticordia plant likes to grow in deep sand. You can often find it alongside other verticordia plants. It lives in areas with low shrubs (heath), taller shrubs (shrubland), or open woodlands. In these places, it often grows near trees like Eucalyptus todtiana, Banksia menziesii, and Xylomelum angustifolium.
Verticordia aurea is found in a few scattered spots. These spots are between Eneabba, Lake Indoon, and the road connecting Green Head and Coorow. All these locations are within about 30 kilometers (19 miles) of Eneabba. This area is part of a larger natural region called the Geraldton Sandplains.
How Verticordia aurea Interacts with Nature
The flowers of Verticordia aurea are not usually visited by common insect pollinators. However, there is one special type of solitary bee called Euryglossa aureophila that loves these flowers. This bee feeds on the nectar and pollen from the flowers. It also collects oil that the flowers release from their anthers (the part that holds pollen).
Protecting Verticordia aurea
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has classified Verticordia aurea as "Priority Four". This means the plant is rare or nearly threatened. It needs to be watched carefully to make sure its numbers don't drop too low.
Growing Verticordia aurea in Gardens
In gardens, Verticordia aurea is a bushy shrub with colorful flowers. This makes it a very attractive plant for people to grow. However, it can be quite difficult to grow outside of its natural home. It grows best in Western Australia, in deep sand, and in a sunny spot.
If it's grown in other conditions, it can easily get sick from fungal infections. But if you want to grow it, you can start new plants from cuttings.
See also
In Spanish: Ranunculus para niños
