Jockey's cap facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jockey's cap |
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| In the Mount Annan Botanic Garden | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Prostanthera
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| Species: |
striatiflora
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
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The Prostanthera striatiflora, often called jockey's cap, striated mintbush, or striped mintbush, is a type of flowering plant. It grows naturally only in the dry (arid) parts of Australia. This plant is an upright, sweet-smelling shrub. It has narrow, egg-shaped leaves and white flowers with purple lines inside.
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
The jockey's cap plant is an upright, aromatic (meaning it smells nice) shrub. It usually grows to be about 0.5 to 2 meters (about 1.5 to 6.5 feet) tall. Its branches have only a few hairs.
The leaves are narrow and can be egg-shaped or slightly oval. They are usually 8 to 39 millimeters (about 0.3 to 1.5 inches) long and 2 to 10 millimeters (about 0.08 to 0.4 inches) wide. Most of the leaves are smooth (glabrous) and attach directly to the stem (sessile), or have a very short stalk (petiole) up to 1 millimeter long.
The flowers grow in groups of four to about twelve near the ends of the branches. Each flower sits on a small stalk (pedicel) that is 1.3 to 2.3 millimeters long. The sepals, which are like small leaves protecting the flower bud, are light green and sometimes have a light purple color. They form a tube about 2.5 to 3.4 millimeters long with two lobes (parts) that are 2.3 to 3.9 millimeters long.
The petals are white and are 10 to 17 millimeters long. They form a tube about 10.3 to 11.4 millimeters long with purple lines inside. The middle lower petal is shaped like a spatula. It is 6.5 to 10 millimeters long and 8.5 to 9 millimeters wide. The side petals are 5 to 8.5 millimeters long. The upper part of the flower (upper lip) is 5.5 to 10.5 millimeters long and 8.5 to 13.8 millimeters wide. It has a small dip or notch in the middle, about 3 to 4.5 millimeters deep. This plant usually flowers from July to November.
How It Got Its Name
The plant Prostanthera striatiflora was first officially described in 1853. This was done by a botanist named Ferdinand von Mueller. He wrote about it in a science journal called Linnaea. He had collected samples of this plant during his trip through the Flinders Ranges in South Australia in 1851.
Where Does It Grow?
The jockey's cap plant grows in the dry areas of New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, and the Northern Territory. It likes to grow in woodlands, especially in rocky, dry places.
Growing Jockey's Cap
People grow this plant in gardens because of its pretty flowers and its nice-smelling leaves. It grows best in soil that drains water well. It also likes to be in full sunlight or partly shaded areas. This plant can handle both dry conditions and frost. It is also a good choice for growing in large pots or containers.
Images for kids
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A jockey's cap being worn over an equestrian helmet at races in Dublin in 2014.
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Bandsmen of the Household Cavalry mounted band in state dress, wearing the traditional style of velvet jockey's cap.
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A British jockey with silk cap in 1862.
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American jockeys with caps in 1922.
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Modern jockey with head and eye protection.
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