Koch's pigface facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Koch's pigface |
|
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Gunniopsis
|
| Species: |
kochii
|
Gunniopsis kochii, also known as Koch's pigface, is a cool plant that loves dry places. It's a type of succulent, which means it stores water in its leaves. This plant belongs to the Aizoaceae family, often called the iceplant family. You can only find it in Australia, making it a special native plant.
Contents
What is Koch's Pigface?
Koch's pigface is a small plant that grows for only one year. It's called an annual herb. It usually reaches about 20 centimetres (8 in) tall. The plant has a few branches and is covered in tiny bumps, which makes it feel a bit rough.
Leaves and Flowers
This plant has thick, fleshy leaves that are a grey-green color. They can be shaped like an egg or a spear, wider at the top and narrower at the base. These leaves can grow up to 30 mm (1.18 in) long and 11 mm (0.43 in) wide.
Koch's pigface blooms, or flowers, during the spring months, usually between September and October. Its flowers are quite pretty, showing off shades of purple and pink. Each flower grows by itself, not in a big bunch.
Where Does it Live?
This special plant is found in very dry, stony areas. You might see it growing on what are called "gibber plains." These are flat areas covered with small, loose rocks.
Its Home in Australia
Koch's pigface lives only in the central parts of South Australia. It's perfectly adapted to survive in the tough, dry conditions of the Australian outback.
How Was it Named?
The scientific name of a plant often tells a story about who discovered it or where it lives. Koch's pigface has had a couple of different names over time.
First Discovery
The plant was first officially described in 1904 by a botanist named R.Wagner. He gave it the name Aizoon kochii. This information was published in his work called Annalen des K. K. Naturhistorischen Hofmuseums.
A New Family
Later, in 1983, another botanist named Robert Chinnock studied the plant again. He decided it belonged in a different group, or genus, called Gunniopsis. So, he reclassified it as Gunniopsis kochii. This new classification was published in an article called The Australian genus Gunniopsis Pax (Aizoaceae) in the Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens.
