Eremaea dendroidea facts for kids

Eremaea dendroidea is a special plant that belongs to the myrtle family, called Myrtaceae. It grows only in the south-west part of Western Australia, meaning it's endemic there. This plant is usually a small tree with tiny leaves and pretty orange flowers. You can see its flowers blooming on the ends of its branches in September. Among all the plants in the Eremaea group, this one grows the furthest north.

What Eremaea dendroidea Looks Like

Eremaea dendroidea can be a shrub or a small tree. It can grow up to about 3.5 meters (around 11.5 feet) tall. Its branches usually point upwards from the main stem. The younger branches are covered with many fine hairs.

Leaves and Flowers

The leaves of this plant are small, about 2.8 to 5.2 millimeters (0.11 to 0.20 inches) long. They are also narrow, measuring 0.7 to 2.2 millimeters (0.03 to 0.09 inches) wide. They are shaped like a narrow oval or egg and are flat. The leaves are also glabrous, which means they are smooth and have no hairs. Sometimes, you might see a single vein on the underside of the leaf.

The flowers are a bright orange color. They grow at the ends of the long branches, either by themselves or in pairs. Each flower has 5 sepals, which are small leaf-like parts that protect the bud. These sepals have a few hairs on their outer surface. There are also 5 petals, each about 3.0 to 4.4 millimeters (0.12 to 0.17 inches) long.

The bright orange color of the flower comes from its stamens. Stamens are the parts of the flower that produce pollen. In Eremaea dendroidea, the stamens are grouped into 5 bundles. Each bundle contains a lot of stamens, usually between 46 and 49!

When it Flowers and Fruits

This plant flowers in September. After the flowers, it produces fruits. These fruits are woody capsules. A capsule is a dry fruit that opens to release seeds. The capsules are about 5.0 to 8.6 millimeters (0.20 to 0.34 inches) long. They have a smooth outer surface and are shaped somewhat like a cup.

What's special about Eremaea dendroidea is how its fruits work. Unlike most other plants in its group, its fruits open up and release their seeds as soon as they are ripe. Many other plants in this group hold onto their seeds in the fruit until the plant dies.

How it Got its Name

Eremaea dendroidea was first officially described in 1993. A scientist named Roger Hnatiuk gave it its formal description in a scientific journal called Nuytsia.

The second part of its name, dendroidea, comes from ancient Greek words. Déndron means "a tree," and eîdos means "form" or "likeness." So, dendroidea means "tree-like." This name was chosen because this plant often grows like a small tree.

Where it Grows

You can find Eremaea dendroidea in the northern part of the Irwin district in Western Australia. It grows in sandy soil, especially on sand dunes. You might even spot it near the tops of these sand dunes!

Looking After This Plant

The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has classified Eremaea dendroidea as "not threatened." This means that, for now, there are enough of these plants, and they are not considered to be in danger.