Grevillea shiressii facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Grevillea shiressii |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Grevillea
|
| Species: |
shiressii
|
The Grevillea shiressii is a special kind of shrub that grows only in Australia. It belongs to the Proteaceae plant family. You can find it in just two places near Gosford in New South Wales. This makes it quite a rare plant!
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
The Grevillea shiressii is a woody shrub that can grow between 2 and 5 meters (about 6 to 16 feet) tall. Its leaves are shiny and shaped like a spear, which is called lanceolate. They are about 8 to 19 centimeters (3 to 7.5 inches) long and 1 to 3 centimeters (0.4 to 1.2 inches) wide. The edges of the leaves are a bit wavy.
This plant's flowers grow in groups called inflorescences, or flower heads. Each flower head has two to nine individual flowers. You can see these flowers from July to December.
Who Named This Plant?
A person named William Blakely officially described this plant in 1925. He decided to name it Grevillea shiressii to honor his friend, David William Campbell Shiress. They often went on trips together to explore nature.
This plant is also related to another plant called Grevillea singuliflora.
Where Does It Grow?
The Grevillea shiressii is a rare plant. It is listed as vulnerable, which means it needs protection. It only grows naturally in the area around Gosford, which is north of Sydney. Specifically, you can find it along two small rivers that flow into the Hawkesbury River: Mullet Creek and Mooney Mooney Creek.
This plant likes to grow in sandy soil that is found near rivers. It is part of a type of forest called wet sclerophyll forest. It often grows under taller trees like the mountain blue gum (Eucalyptus deanei), turpentine (Syncarpia glomulifera), and rough-barked apple (Angophora floribunda). You might also see it growing next to watergum (Tristaniopsis laurina) and river lomatia (Lomatia myricoides).
There is also a group of Grevillea shiressii plants in Newcastle, New South Wales that started growing there naturally, even though it's not their original home.
How Does It Live and Grow?
Birds love to visit the flowers of Grevillea shiressii. They help to pollinate the flowers, which means they help the plant make seeds. After the seeds are ready, ants help to spread them around.
If there is a bushfire, the Grevillea shiressii plant will die. However, new plants can grow from the seeds that survived the fire.
Growing Grevillea shiressii in Gardens
If you plant Grevillea shiressii in a garden, it grows into a bushy shrub. Its flowers are great for attracting birds, and the plant itself provides a safe place for them to hide. People also like its beautiful leaves.
It's quite easy to grow new Grevillea shiressii plants from seeds or from cuttings (small pieces of the plant). There's even a special type of Grevillea called G. 'Ruby Clusters' or G. 'Splendour'. This plant is a mix between G. shiressii and either G. oleoides or G. speciosa. It has the red flowers of those species but the leaves of G. shiressii.
