Wispy poverty bush facts for kids
Eremophila appressa, also called the wispy poverty bush, is a special plant. It belongs to the figwort family. You can only find it in two far-off places in central Western Australia. What makes it unique are its tiny leaves. When they are young, they are less than 2.5 millimeters long. They are also stuck to the stem with a sticky substance called resin.
Quick facts for kids Wispy poverty bush |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eremophila (plant)
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| Species: |
appressa
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Contents
What it Looks Like
The wispy poverty bush is a tall, thin shrub. It can grow up to about 3 meters (10 feet) high. Its branches are thin, smooth, and sticky.
Its leaves are arranged one after another along the stem. They are usually 10 to 15 millimeters long. This is less than half an inch! The leaves are also very narrow, less than 1 millimeter wide. They are smooth and round like a tiny stick. When the leaves are young, they stick close to the stems. As they get older, they spread out a little.
Flowers and Fruit
The flowers of the wispy poverty bush grow alone or in pairs. They are found where the leaves meet the stem. Each flower sits on a stalk about 8 to 12 millimeters long.
The flowers have five green or purplish parts called sepals. These are like small leaves that protect the bud. They are 8 to 18 millimeters long. Both sides of the sepals are covered in tiny, sticky hairs.
There are also five petals, which are 17 to 20 millimeters long. These petals join together at their base to form a tube. The petals are pink to purplish. They often have deep red spots inside. Both the inside and outside of the flower tube are hairy. The outer parts of the petals are also hairy.
Inside the flower, there are four stamens. These are the parts that make pollen. They do not stick out past the end of the flower tube.
The wispy poverty bush flowers between June and August. After flowering, it produces dry, oval-shaped fruits. These fruits are about 5.5 to 6.5 millimeters long.
How it Got its Name
The wispy poverty bush was first officially described in 2007. A scientist named Robert Chinnock gave it its formal name. He wrote about it in a book called Eremophila and allied genera : a monograph of the plant family Myoporaceae.
The first plant used to describe the species was found by Chinnock. It was about 45 kilometers (28 miles) north of Kumarina. The plant's specific name, appressa, means "pressed against." This name refers to how the leaves are pressed close to the stems.
Where it Lives
The wispy poverty bush grows in red ironstone soils. You can find it between Kumarina and Newman. These areas are in the Gascoyne and Pilbara regions of Western Australia. It likes to grow on rocky slopes in gravelly soil.
Protecting the Plant
The Government of Western Australia's Department of Parks and Wildlife has given Eremophila appressa a special status. It is classified as "Priority One".
This means the plant is known from only a few places. These locations could be at risk. So, it's very important to protect these areas to keep the wispy poverty bush safe.
