Calothamnus quadrifidus subsp. angustifolius facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Calothamnus quadrifidus subsp. angustifolius |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Calothamnus |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: |
C. q. subsp. angustifolius
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| Trinomial name | |
| Calothamnus quadrifidus subsp. angustifolius (Ewart) A.S.George & N.Gibson
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| Synonyms | |
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Melaleuca quadrifida subsp. angustifolia (Ewart) Craven & R.D.Edwards |
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Calothamnus quadrifidus subsp. angustifolia is a special plant that belongs to the myrtle family, called Myrtaceae. This plant grows naturally only in the south-west part of Western Australia. It's a type of bottlebrush plant, similar to other kinds of Calothamnus quadrifidus. However, this particular one has longer leaves than most. Its leaves are flat, narrow, and have a prickly feel.
What it Looks Like
Calothamnus quadrifidus subsp. angustifolia is a shrub that stands upright. It can grow as tall as 4 metres (10 ft), which is about 13 feet! Its leaves are flat and shaped like a narrow egg, with the pointy end at the bottom. They are prickly and measure about 22–55 millimetres (0.9–2 in) long and 1–3 millimetres (0.04–0.1 in) wide.
This plant has bright red flowers. They usually grow in groups on one side of the stem, hidden among the older leaves. The stamens (the parts of the flower that make pollen) are grouped into four claw-like bundles. Each bundle is about 22–36 millimetres (0.9–1 in) long. You can see these flowers from August to November. After the flowers, the plant grows woody, barrel-shaped seed pods that are 6–10 millimetres (0.2–0.4 in) long.
How it Got its Name
The plant Calothamnus quadrifidus subsp. angustifolia was officially described in 2010 by a scientist named Alex George. He wrote about it in a science journal called Nuytsia. He studied a plant sample found near central Greenough.
Before that, in 1911, another scientist named Alfred James Ewart had given it a different name. The word angustifolius in its name comes from Latin words. Angustus means "narrow" or "thin," and folium means "leaf." So, its name basically means "narrow-leafed."
Where it Grows
You can find Calothamnus quadrifidus subsp. angustifolia in several areas of Western Australia. These include places like the Avon Wheatbelt, Geraldton Sandplains, Mallee, and Swan Coastal Plain. It likes to grow in clay soil, especially near ironstone, in areas that are wet during winter.
Is it Safe?
The government department in Western Australia that looks after parks and wildlife says that Calothamnus quadrifidus subsp. angustifolia is "not threatened." This means there are enough of these plants, and they are not in danger of disappearing.
