Homoranthus coracinus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Homoranthus coracinus |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Homoranthus
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| Species: |
coracinus
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
The Homoranthus coracinus is a special plant that belongs to the myrtle family. This family includes many well-known plants like eucalyptus trees. This plant is endemic, which means it grows naturally in only one small area in Queensland, Australia. It is a low, spreading shrub, meaning it doesn't grow very tall but spreads out wide. It has pointed, narrow leaves shaped like an egg. Its flowers are unique, growing in groups of up to six, and they have black petals! This rare plant is only found in one known spot, in the Ka Ka Mundi area of Carnarvon National Park.
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What Does It Look Like?
The Homoranthus coracinus is a small, spreading shrub. It has narrow, egg-shaped leaves that come to a point. Its flowers are quite striking. They hang downwards, which is called "pendulous." The flowers have orange parts called bracteoles and dark purple to black sepals. Sepals are like small leaves that protect the flower bud. This plant usually flowers in April, May, and September.
How It Got Its Name
The Homoranthus coracinus was first officially described in the year 2000. A scientist named Anthony Bean found a sample of the plant in 1999. He found it in the Ka Ka Mundi National Park, which is now part of the larger Carnarvon National Park. The description of the plant was published in a science journal called Austrobaileya.
The second part of its scientific name, coracinus, is a Latin word. It means "ravenlike" or "black as a crow." This name was chosen because of the dark, almost black color of the plant's petals.
Where It Lives
This special plant is only found in one small area. It grows near Mount Mooloolong, inside the Carnarvon National Park in central Queensland. It prefers to grow in a type of open woodland called heath. It likes shallow soils that are found on sandstone rocks.
Why It's Important to Protect It
The Homoranthus coracinus is a very rare plant. It is only known from a single group of plants in one location. Because of this, scientists consider it to be an 'Endangered' species. This means it is at a high risk of disappearing forever if we don't protect its habitat.
