Kunzea badjaensis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kunzea badjaensis |
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| Kunzea badjaensis growing near Snowball, New South Wales | |
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Kunzea
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| Species: |
badjaensis
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Kunzea badjaensis is a special kind of flowering plant that belongs to the myrtle family, called Myrtaceae. It grows only in a small part of New South Wales, Australia. This plant is a shrub (a bushy plant) with leaves shaped like eggs and pretty white flowers that grow in bunches near the ends of its branches. You can find it growing high up in the mountains on the Southern Tablelands.
Contents
What it Looks Like
Kunzea badjaensis is a shrub, which is a type of bush. It often grows as a low, sprawling bush, reaching about 0.2 to 1 meter (less than 4 feet) tall. Its young branches are usually covered in tiny hairs.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves of this plant are shaped like an egg, but they are narrower at the bottom. They are small, only about 2 to 6 millimeters long and 1 to 3 millimeters wide. Each leaf has a tiny stem, called a petiole, which is about 0.5 to 1 millimeter long.
The flowers grow in round bunches near the ends of the branches. Sometimes, the branches keep growing even while the plant is flowering! The outer parts of the flower, called sepal lobes, are shaped like triangles and are about 1 millimeter long. The petals are white and measure about 1 to 1.5 millimeters long. Inside the flowers, there are about 30 to 40 stamens (the parts that make pollen), which are 3 to 4 millimeters long.
When it Flowers and Fruits
Kunzea badjaensis usually blooms in December and January. After the flowers, the plant produces fruit. These fruits are like small, cup-shaped cases called capsules. They are about 4 millimeters long and 3 millimeters wide.
Its Name and History
How it Got its Name
The plant Kunzea badjaensis was officially described for the first time in 2016. This was done by a scientist named Hellmut R. Toelken. His description was published in a scientific book called Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Garden.
The second part of its name, badjaensis, tells us where it can be found. It refers to Big Badja Hill, which is one of the places where this plant grows. Before it got its official name, people knew it as Kunzea sp. Wadbilliga (Rodd 6168).
Where it Grows
This type of kunzea plant likes to grow in open, bushy areas called heathlands. It lives on the high tablelands (flat, high areas of land) at altitudes over 1,000 meters (about 3,300 feet). You can mostly find it in the Kybean Range.
Growing it in Gardens
Most Kunzea badjaensis plants are low-growing shrubs. However, there is a special very low-growing type that has been named Kunzea 'Badja Carpet'. This specific type of plant grows best in soil that drains water well and in a sunny spot.
