Calytrix watsonii facts for kids

Calytrix watsonii is a special kind of plant that belongs to the Myrtaceae family, also known as the myrtle family. This family includes many well-known plants like eucalyptus trees and tea trees. Calytrix watsonii is endemic to Western Australia, which means it is found naturally only in this part of the world and nowhere else.

This unique plant grows in a few different areas across Western Australia. You can find it in the eastern part of the Mid West region, near a town called Wiluna. It also grows further south in the Goldfields-Esperance region, around the town of Menzies. It prefers to grow in soils that are sandy and have small stones or gravel mixed in.

Naming the Plant

Scientists give plants and animals special names so everyone can know exactly which species they are talking about. This system is called taxonomy.

Who Named It?

The Calytrix watsonii plant was first described by two scientists, Ferdinand von Mueller and Ralph Tate, in 1896. They initially gave it the name Calycothrix watsonii.

Changing Its Name

Later, in 1931, another botanist named Charles Austin Gardner moved the plant into a different group, or genus, called Calytrix. This is why its full scientific name today is Calytrix watsonii. Scientists sometimes change a plant's genus if new information shows it is more closely related to other plants in a different group.