Calothamnus phellosus facts for kids

The plant Calothamnus phellosus is a unique shrub found only in the southwestern part of Western Australia. It belongs to the myrtle family, called Myrtaceae. This plant is known for its tall, spreading shape, its leaves that look like prickly needles, and its bright red flowers. Its flowers have five special bundles of stamens, which are the parts that make pollen.

In 2014, some scientists suggested that this plant should be called Melaleuca phellosa instead.

What Does This Plant Look Like?

Calothamnus phellosus is a shrub that can grow quite large. It can reach about 4 metres (10 ft) tall and spread out to about 6 metres (20 ft) wide.

Its leaves are like needles. They are usually 25–80 millimetres (1–3 in) long and very thin, about 0.7–1.1 millimetres (0.03–0.04 in) wide. If you cut a leaf, it would look round. The leaves also get thinner at the end, forming a sharp, prickly point.

The flowers of this plant are very striking. Each flower has 5 sepals (small leaf-like parts at the base of the flower) and 5 petals. The stamens, which are the parts that hold pollen, are bright red. They are grouped into 5 claw-like bundles, each about 22–40 millimetres (0.87–1.6 in) long. The petals themselves are about 4.0–4.5 millimetres (0.16–0.18 in) long.

This plant usually flowers from September to November. After the flowers, it grows fruits. These fruits are woody and look like flattened, round capsules. They are about 7–11 millimetres (0.3–0.4 in) long. Often, many fruits grow very close together. They also develop a rough, corky outer layer.

How Did It Get Its Name?

The plant Calothamnus phellosus was first officially described in 2010. This was done by a scientist named Alex George. He wrote about it in a scientific journal called Nuytsia. The plant he studied was found north of the Murchison River, near a place called Eurardy.

The second part of its scientific name, phellosus, comes from a word that means "corky." This name was chosen because of the corky outer surface of the plant's fruit.

Where Does It Grow?

Calothamnus phellosus is found in specific natural areas in Western Australia. These areas are known as the Avon Wheatbelt, Geraldton Sandplains, and Yalgoo regions. These are different types of landscapes where this plant naturally lives.

Is It Safe?

The government department in Western Australia that looks after parks and wildlife has checked on Calothamnus phellosus. They have officially said that this plant is "not threatened." This means there are enough of these plants, and they are not currently at risk of disappearing.