Isopogon panduratus facts for kids

Isopogon panduratus is a plant that belongs to the Proteaceae family. It is a special type of plant that is only found in the southwest part of Western Australia. This plant is a spreading shrub with leaves shaped like narrow eggs and round clusters of pale pink flowers.

What Does It Look Like?

Isopogon panduratus is a shrub that usually grows to about 2 meters (6.5 feet) tall and 1.5 meters (5 feet) wide. It has smooth, brownish branches. Its leaves are shaped like narrow eggs, wider at the top and narrower at the bottom. They are about 3.5 to 12.5 centimeters (1.4 to 4.9 inches) long and 0.3 to 1.9 centimeters (0.1 to 0.7 inches) wide. The leaves connect to the stem with a small stalk called a petiole.

The flowers grow in round clusters, usually with 40 to 70 pale pink flowers in each cluster. These clusters are about 1.8 to 3 centimeters (0.7 to 1.2 inches) across. At the base of each flower cluster, there are three to five layers of special leaves called bracts. The plant mainly flowers from June to August or from August to October, depending on its specific type. After flowering, it produces a hairy, round fruit called a nut, which is about 3.5 millimeters (0.14 inches) long. These nuts are joined together in a round or slightly flattened head, about 0.9 to 1.6 centimeters (0.35 to 0.63 inches) long and 1 to 1.8 centimeters (0.4 to 0.7 inches) wide.

How It Got Its Name

The plant Isopogon panduratus was officially named in 2010. It was named by two scientists, Michael Clyde Hislop and Barbara Lynette Rye. They studied plant samples that Hislop collected in Tathra National Park in 2000.

The second part of its scientific name, panduratus, comes from the word "pandura." A pandura is an ancient musical instrument shaped a bit like a violin. The scientists chose this name because the inner bracts (special leaves) at the base of the flowers have a similar shape.

Scientists have identified two main types, or subspecies, of Isopogon panduratus:

• Isopogon panduratus subspecies palustris: This type has mature leaves that are 3 to 8 millimeters (0.12 to 0.31 inches) wide. Its flowers bloom later, from August to October.
• Isopogon panduratus subspecies panduratus: This type has wider mature leaves, from 7 to 19 millimeters (0.28 to 0.75 inches) wide. Its flowers bloom earlier, from June to August.

Where It Lives

The subspecies palustris grows in open shrubland, called heath, along the coast between Cervantes and near Cataby in Western Australia.

The subspecies panduratus is found in heath areas, and sometimes in Banksia woodlands. It grows from near Eneabba all the way to Watheroo National Park.