Hemigenia cuneifolia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hemigenia cuneifolia |
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| In Girraween National Park | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Hemigenia
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| Species: |
cuneifolia
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Hemigenia cuneifolia is a special plant. It is a type of shrub that grows only in eastern Australia. This means it is endemic to that area. It belongs to the Lamiaceae family, which includes plants like mint. This shrub has unique oblong leaves. They are arranged in groups of three, like a whorl. Its flowers are a beautiful blue or mauve color.
What Does It Look Like?
Hemigenia cuneifolia is a shrub. It usually grows to be about 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) tall. That's like a tall person!
Its Leaves
The leaves of this plant are oblong, which means they are longer than they are wide. Each leaf is about 15–30 mm (0.59–1.18 in) long. They are also about 2–4 mm (0.079–0.157 in) wide. The leaves grow on a small stem called a petiole. This petiole is about 2–6 mm (0.079–0.236 in) long. The leaves are arranged in groups of three, forming a circle around the stem. This is called a whorl.
Its Flowers
The flowers are blue to mauve. They are about 8 mm (0.31 in) long. The flower has parts called sepals. These sepals are joined together to form a tube. This tube is about 4–5.5 mm (0.16–0.22 in) long. It has five small parts, or lobes, that are shorter than the tube.
The petals of the flower are also joined. They form a tube with two "lips." Inside the flower, there are four stamens. These are the parts that make pollen. The plant also has a style. This style has two branches. The plant mainly flowers from August to April.
How It Got Its Name
The plant Hemigenia cuneifolia was first officially described in 1870. This description was made by a botanist named George Bentham. He published his findings in a book called Flora Australiensis. The plants he studied were collected by William Woolls and Hermann Beckler.
Where Does It Grow?
Hemigenia cuneifolia grows in forests. You can find it in south-east Queensland. It also grows in New South Wales. It reaches as far south as the Hill Top area. Inland, it grows as far as the Pilliga Scrub.
