Calytrix sapphirina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Calytrix sapphirina |
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| Calytrix sapphirina flowers | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Calytrix
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| Species: |
sapphirina
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Calytrix sapphirina is a beautiful plant that belongs to the myrtle family. This special shrub grows only in Western Australia. It is known for its pretty pink-blue-purple flowers that look like stars.
About the Sapphire Fringed Myrtle
This plant is an upright shrub with many stems. It usually grows to be about 0.2 to 1 meter (or 8 inches to 3 feet) tall. The shrub mostly blooms between August and November. During this time, it shows off its lovely pink, blue, or purple star-shaped flowers.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves of Calytrix sapphirina are long and thin. They grow close together on the stem and are about 5 to 6 millimeters (or 0.2 inches) long. The flowers are about 10 millimeters (or 0.4 inches) wide. They have fine hairs that stick out from the base of the flower, past the petals.
Where It Grows
You can find Calytrix sapphirina in different parts of Western Australia. It grows on sandy plains, hills, and gently rolling slopes. These areas include the Mid West, the Wheatbelt, and the Goldfields-Esperance regions. It prefers to grow in sandy soils that are found over laterite or ironstone rock.
How It Was Discovered
The plant was first officially described by a botanist named John Lindley. He wrote about it in 1839 in his book, A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony. This was an important step in understanding and naming this unique Australian plant.
