Diplolaena microcephala facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Diplolaena microcephala |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Diplolaena
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D. microcephala
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| Diplolaena angustifolia Bartl
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Diplolaena microcephala is a special kind of shrub that grows only in Western Australia. It's a rounded plant with oval-shaped leaves. Its flowers have unique parts called stamens and can be different colors.
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What is the Lesser Diplolaena?
Diplolaena microcephala is often called the lesser diplolaena. It is a rounded, spreading shrub. This plant usually grows to about 1.5 meters (5 feet) tall. It can also spread out to be about 1.5 meters wide.
How Does it Look?
The leaves of the lesser diplolaena are grey-green. They are shaped like an oval, or elliptic. The edges of the leaves are folded inwards. Each leaf can be up to 30-40 millimeters (about 1.2-1.6 inches) long. They grow on a short stem called a petiole, which is 2-4 millimeters long.
The top of the leaf has a few large, rusty-colored hairs. These hairs look like tiny stars. The underside of the leaf has more of these stiff, star-shaped hairs.
The Flowers
The flowers hang downwards and are about 25 millimeters (1 inch) across. They have very noticeable stamens, which are the parts that hold pollen. These stamens are 15-20 millimeters long. The flowers can be red-green, red-orange, or pinkish.
The flowers grow at the ends of the branches. They have special leaf-like parts called bracts around them. The outer bracts are egg-shaped or triangular. They are 6-10 millimeters long and covered with soft, rusty hairs. The inner bracts are a bit longer and more narrow. This plant can flower at different times throughout the year.
Naming and History
The plant Diplolaena microcephala was first officially described in 1845. A botanist named Friedrich Gottlieb Bartling wrote about it. His description was published in a book called Plantae Preissianae.
Where Does it Grow?
The lesser diplolaena grows along the south coast of Western Australia. You can find it from near Walpole in the west. It grows eastwards to places like Hopetoun and Esperance.
It likes to grow in sandy soil or gravelly soil. You can also find it in rocky loam near river banks. Sometimes, it grows on granite hills.
