Darwinia diminuta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Darwinia diminuta |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Darwinia
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| Species: |
diminuta
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Darwinia diminuta is a special plant that belongs to the myrtle family, called Myrtaceae. It grows only in New South Wales, Australia, which means it is endemic there. This plant is a small, spreading shrub with pretty white to pink flowers that look like tiny tubes. These flowers grow in pairs and are mostly found in the Sydney area.
What it Looks Like
Darwinia diminuta is a shrub that grows upright and spreads out. Its branches reach up to about 1.5 meters (5 feet) tall. Its leaves are arranged in a special way, opposite each other and at right angles, almost like a cross. They are triangular in shape, about 6 to 11 millimeters (0.24 to 0.43 inches) long and 0.5 to 1 millimeter (0.02 to 0.04 inches) wide.
The flowers are tiny tubes, about 3 to 5 millimeters (0.12 to 0.20 inches) long. They grow in pairs, with 2 to 4 pairs in each cluster. Each flower has five white to pink petals that curve slightly and have clear lines on them. These petals are very small, about 0.8 to 1.2 millimeters (0.03 to 0.05 inches) long.
Around the flowers, there are leaf-like parts called bracts, which are 3 to 10 millimeters (0.12 to 0.39 inches) long. There are also smaller, yellow-green bracts that are about 3 to 5 millimeters (0.12 to 0.20 inches) long. These smaller bracts fall off when the flower opens. The sepals, which are like small leaves protecting the bud, are triangular and narrow, about 1.5 millimeters (0.06 inches) long. They often have tiny teeth. The white style, which is part of the flower's reproductive system, is 4 to 9 millimeters (0.16 to 0.35 inches) long. This plant blooms from spring to early summer.
Where it Grows
Darwinia diminuta is a rare plant. It is found in special areas called heathlands or dry sclerophyll forests in eastern New South Wales. These areas are between places like Manly, Ingleside, Loftus, and Helensburgh. It prefers to grow in sandy soils that don't drain water very well.
About its Name
The plant Darwinia diminuta was officially named by a scientist named Barbara Briggs in 1962. She published her findings in a science journal called Contributions from the New South Wales National Herbarium. The word diminuta in its name means "diminutive," which describes how small the flowers are.
