Eremaea ectadioclada facts for kids
Eremaea ectadioclada is a cool plant that belongs to the myrtle family. You can only find it growing in the south-west part of Western Australia. It's a low, spreading bush with small leaves. Its bright orange flowers grow on the ends of long branches that grew the year before.
Quick facts for kids Eremaea ectadioclada |
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| Eremaea ectadioclada leaves and flower | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eremaea (plant)
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| Species: |
ectadioclada
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| Synonyms | |
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Melaleuca ectadioclada (Hnatiuk) Craven & R.D.Edwards |
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Contents
What it Looks Like
Eremaea ectadioclada is a low, spreading bush. It usually grows up to about 0.7 metres (2 ft) tall. Its younger branches are covered with many tiny hairs.
The leaves are small, about 4–10 millimetres (0.2–0.4 in) long. They are also very narrow, only 0.4–2.0 millimetres (0.02–0.08 in) wide. The leaves are shaped like a narrow egg and come to a point. You can usually see one main vein on the underside of the leaf. Sometimes, there are three veins.
Flowers and Fruits
The flowers are a bright orange color. They usually grow by themselves, or sometimes in pairs. You'll find them at the ends of the longer branches. These are branches that grew during the previous year.
Each flower has 5 sepals, which are small leaf-like parts. These sepals are very hairy on the outside. There are also 5 petals, which are the colorful parts of the flower. They are about 4–6 millimetres (0.16–0.24 in) long.
The bright orange color of the flower comes from its stamens. Stamens are the parts that make pollen. They are grouped into 5 bundles. Each bundle can have from 16 to 36 stamens.
This plant flowers from July to November. After the flowers, it grows woody capsules. These capsules are like small seed pods. They are 6.9–8.0 millimetres (0.27–0.31 in) long. The outside of the capsules feels rough and scaly. They are shaped like a barrel or a cup.
You can tell this plant apart from other similar plants by its rough, often star-shaped fruit. Its narrow leaves also help to identify it.
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Plant Name and History
The scientific name Eremaea ectadioclada was first officially described in 1993. This was done by a scientist named Roger Hnatiuk. He wrote about it in a science journal called Nuytsia.
The second part of its name, ectadioclada, comes from Ancient Greek words. Ektadios means "spreading," and klados means "branch." This name describes how the plant grows with its spreading branches.
Where it Lives
Eremaea ectadioclada is found in areas close to the coast. These areas are in the Irwin district of Western Australia. You can find it between the towns of Eneabba and Jurien Bay.
It grows in sandy soil that is over a type of rock called laterite. This plant likes to live on flat, sandy plains.
Conservation Status
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has looked at Eremaea ectadioclada. They have decided that this plant is "not threatened." This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing.
