Dillwynia floribunda facts for kids
The Parrot Pea (Dillwynia floribunda) is a beautiful and common shrub found in eastern Australia. It gets its name from its bright yellow and red flowers, which look a bit like a parrot's feathers! This plant is often seen growing in wet, open areas.
Quick facts for kids Dillwynia floribunda |
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| Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, Australia | |
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Dillwynia
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D. floribunda
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| Dillwynia floribunda |
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Contents
Discovering the Parrot Pea
Where Does the Parrot Pea Live?
This bushy shrub grows mainly north of Ulladulla in New South Wales. You can find it in moist areas across eastern Australia. It likes wet heathland and often grows in sandy soils that aren't very rich in nutrients.
The Parrot Pea can grow to be about 1 to 2 metres tall. It's a tough plant that thrives in its specific habitat.
What Does the Parrot Pea Look Like?
The Parrot Pea is known for its many bright flowers. The name floribunda comes from Latin and means "flowering freely" or "abundant flowers." This perfectly describes the plant's showy blooms.
- Flowers: The flowers are yellow and red, often appearing in pairs. They are packed so closely together that they look like a big cluster of flowers at the end of the branches. Some people even call them "egg & bacon" flowers because of their colours!
- Leaves: The leaves are usually twisted, but some plants might have straight ones. They are either flat or triangular in shape. Each leaf is about 5 to 15 millimetres long and feels a bit rough or bumpy.
How Was the Parrot Pea Discovered?
The very first sample of the Parrot Pea was collected in Sydney, Australia. An important English botanist named James Edward Smith officially described and published information about this plant in 1805. This marked its formal discovery and naming in the scientific world.
