Hemiandra facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hemiandra |
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| Hemiandra pungens | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Lamiaceae |
| Subfamily: | Prostantheroideae |
| Genus: | Hemiandra R.Br. |
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Hemiandra is a group of nine types of flowering plants. They belong to the Lamiaceae family, which also includes mint. These plants are only found in Western Australia. Hemiandra plants are shrubs. They have stiff leaves that grow in pairs directly on the stem. Their flowers have five petals that look like two "lips". The fruit is a small case, usually holding four tiny seeds.
What Hemiandra Plants Look Like
Hemiandra plants are shrubs that can grow low to the ground or be medium-sized. They have tough, leathery leaves that grow in pairs on opposite sides of the stem.
The flowers of Hemiandra plants are very interesting. They have five sepals, which are like small leaves that protect the bud. These sepals are joined at the bottom. The five petals are also joined at their base, forming a tube-like shape called a corolla. This corolla has two "lips".
- The upper lip is short and stands upright. It has two small parts, called lobes.
- The lower lip is longer and spreads out. It has three lobes. The middle lobe often has two smaller parts itself.
Hemiandra flowers can be white, pink, or purple. They often have spots inside their "throat" (the opening of the flower). Each flower has four stamens, which produce pollen. It also has one style with two stigmas, which receive pollen. After the flower blooms, it forms a small fruit called a capsule. This capsule usually contains four small nuts, which are the seeds.
How Hemiandra Plants Are Named
The group of plants called Hemiandra was first officially described in 1810. This was done by a botanist named Robert Brown. He wrote about it in his book, Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen. The first species he described was Hemiandra pungens.
The name Hemiandra comes from two Greek words. "Hemi" means "half" and "andra" means "male". This name refers to the anthers of the plant. Anthers are part of the stamen that hold pollen. In Hemiandra, these anthers only have one cell, which is why they are called "half male."
Types of Hemiandra Species
Here is a list of the Hemiandra species that are recognized by the Australian Plant Census as of January 2021:
- Hemiandra coccinea O.H.Sarg.
- Hemiandra gardneri O.H.Sarg.
- Hemiandra glabra Benth.
- Hemiandra incana Bartl.
- Hemiandra leiantha Benth.
- Hemiandra linearis Benth.
- Hemiandra pungens R.Br.
- Hemiandra rubriflora O.H.Sarg.
- Hemiandra rutilans O.H.Sarg.
