Diocirea facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Diocirea |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Scrophulariaceae |
| Tribe: | Myoporeae |
| Genus: | Diocirea Chinnock |
Diocirea is a group of flowering plants. They belong to the figwort family, called Scrophulariaceae. These plants are special because they only grow in a small part of Western Australia. You won't find them naturally anywhere else in the world!
There are four types of Diocirea plants. They are all small shrubs. Their stems and leaves make a sticky substance called resin. This resin often makes the plants look a cool bluish-green color. Scientists didn't officially name these plants until 2007. Even though they only grow in a small area, you can often find thousands of them growing together. They can even form a thick ground cover!
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What Do Diocirea Plants Look Like?
Diocirea plants are small shrubs with many stems. They usually grow to about 1 metre (3 ft) tall. They can spread out to about 1.5 metres (5 ft) wide.
Leaves and Stems
Their branches and leaves have many tiny bumps called glands. These glands make a sticky resin. This resin often gives the leaves a bluish-green color. The leaves are very small, from 1 millimetre (0.04 in) to 10 millimetres (0.4 in) long. They have smooth edges and are usually glabrous, meaning they are hairless.
Flowers and Fruit
The flowers grow one by one where the leaves meet the stem. They don't have a stalk. Each flower has five green, egg-shaped sepals. These are like small leaves that protect the bud. There are also five petals. The petals are joined together at their bottom parts. They form a bell-shaped tube.
A special thing about Diocirea flowers is how their top two petals are joined. They stay joined for almost their whole length. Also, the petal tube stays on the plant until the fruit is almost ready. The fruit is dry and has a hard, crusty shell. It is oval or cone-shaped and often has tiny hairs.
How Diocirea Got Its Name
The plant group Diocirea was first officially described in 2007. A scientist named Robert J. (Bob) Chinnock gave it this name. The first species he named was Diocirea violacea.
Before 2007, some Diocirea plants had been collected. They were mistakenly called Eremophila elachantha. However, the original plant sample for Eremophila elachantha was destroyed.
The name Diocirea is a fun word puzzle! It's an anagram of "ericoid." This means the letters in "ericoid" are mixed up to spell "Diocirea." The name refers to how these plants look similar to plants in the Erica group.
Types of Diocirea Species
There are four known species in the Diocirea group:
Where Do Diocirea Plants Live?
All four Diocirea species are only found in two special areas of Western Australia. These areas are called the Coolgardie and Mallee biogeographic regions.
Even though they only grow in a small part of the world, they are often found in huge numbers. Thousands of these plants can grow together. They sometimes form a very thick ground cover, almost like a carpet of plants!
Protecting Diocirea Plants
The Western Australian government's Department of Parks and Wildlife keeps track of rare plants. Two Diocirea species, Diocirea acutifolia and Diocirea microphylla, are listed as "Priority Three."
This "Priority Three" classification means that these plants are rare. They are not immediately in danger, but they are close to being threatened. This helps scientists and conservationists keep an eye on them and protect their habitats.
