Granite mintbush facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Granite mintbush |
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| Near the Sandstone Caves in the Pilliga forest | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Prostanthera
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| Species: |
granitica
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Prostanthera granitica, commonly known as the granite mintbush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a spreading shrub with egg-shaped leaves with the edges rolled under, and purple to violet flowers.
Description
Prostanthera granitica is a spreading shrub that typically grows to 0.6–1 m (2 ft 0 in – 3 ft 3 in) high and 2 m (6 ft 7 in) wide and has densely hairy branches. The leaves are light green, hairy, egg-shaped with the edges rolled under, 6–15 mm (0.24–0.59 in) long and 2–5 mm (0.079–0.197 in) wide and sessile or on a petiole up to 1 mm (0.039 in) long. The flowers are arranged singly in upper leaf axils with bracteoles about 2 mm (0.079 in) long at the base. The sepals are 5 mm (0.20 in) long and form a tube 3 mm (0.12 in) wide with two lobes, the upper lobe 2 mm (0.079 in) long. The petals are purple to mid-violet, occasionally white, 8–10 mm (0.31–0.39 in) long. Flowering occurs from August to December.
Taxonomy
Prostanthera granitica was first formally described in 1905 by Joseph Maiden and Ernst Betche in the Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales.
Distribution and habitat
Granite mint bush grows in heath and forest in rocky places, mainly on the tablelands, slopes and plains of New South Wales.
