Kunzea micrantha facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kunzea micrantha |
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| Kunzea micrantha near Bullsbrook | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Kunzea |
| Species: |
K. micrantha
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| Binomial name | |
| Kunzea micrantha Schauer
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Kunzea micrantha is a beautiful flowering plant that belongs to the myrtle family, called Myrtaceae. This plant is special because it is endemic, meaning you can only find it growing naturally in the southwest part of Western Australia. It blooms with lovely pink-purple to white-cream flowers, usually between September and December. It's a common plant, but it can sometimes be hard to tell apart from its relatives, K. praestans and K. micromera, especially where they grow in the same areas.
Contents
What Kunzea micrantha Looks Like
Kunzea micrantha is a shrub that stands upright and usually grows to be about 0.3 to 1.5 metres (1 to 5 ft) tall. It often has many main stems and a good number of thin, flexible side branches.
Its leaves are long and narrow, like a line or a spearhead, with the narrower part closer to the stem. They are usually about 1–7 mm (0.04–0.3 in) long and 0.5–2 mm (0.02–0.08 in) wide. The tiny stalk that connects the leaf to the stem, called a petiole, is less than 1 mm (0.04 in) long.
Flowers and How They Grow
The flowers of Kunzea micrantha grow in clusters, usually with twenty to forty flowers in each group. These clusters are found at the ends of long stems. Each flower is surrounded by small, leaf-like parts called bracts. These bracts are about 1.5–3 mm (0.06–0.1 in) long and 1 mm (0.04 in) wide. They are mostly smooth, but might have a few hairs around their edges. There are also smaller pairs of bracts called bracteoles.
The base of the flower, known as the floral cup, is 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) long. The five sepals, which are like small leaves protecting the flower bud, are smooth and about 1 mm (0.04 in) long. The five petals can be pink-purple or white-cream. They are shaped like a spearhead or a spatula, with the narrower end at the base, and are 1.5–2 mm (0.06–0.08 in) long and wide.
Each flower has between 12 and 40 stamens, which are the parts that produce pollen. These stamens are 2.5–3.5 mm (0.098–0.14 in) long and arranged in several rows.
Fruiting and Similar Plants
Kunzea micrantha mainly flowers from September to December. After flowering, it produces fruit that are urn-shaped capsules, with the sepals still attached. This plant looks a lot like K. affinis, but you can tell them apart because Kunzea micrantha usually has smooth leaves and bracts.
It can also be hard to tell apart from Kunzea micromera and K. praestans. Sometimes, these plants even create hybrids (a mix of two species) when their growing areas overlap.
Plant Naming and History
The plant Kunzea micrantha was first officially described in 1844. This was done by a botanist named Johannes Conrad Schauer. He wrote about it in a book called Plantae Preissianae.
Different Types of Kunzea micrantha
There are four main types, or subspecies, of Kunzea micrantha:
- Kunzea micrantha subsp. micrantha: This type grows in some swampy areas on the Swan Coastal Plain. You can find it from near Perth down to Busselton, and also in scattered spots near Augusta.
- Kunzea micrantha subsp. petiolata: This subspecies grows in temporary swamps along the coast. It is found from near the Swan River up to Jurien Bay.
- Kunzea micrantha subsp. oligandra: This type is mostly found further inland. It grows from near Manjimup to Porongorup, and also near Bremer Bay, in temporary marshlands.
- Kunzea micrantha subsp. hirtiflora: This subspecies is very rare. It is only known from two places near Lake Muir where it also grows in temporary marshlands.
The second part of the plant's name, micrantha, comes from two Ancient Greek words. Mikros means "small", and anthos means "flower". So, micrantha means "small-flowered".
Where Kunzea micrantha Grows
Kunzea micrantha is often found in wet, low areas and marshes along the coast. It grows in different types of soil, including sandy, clay, and loamy soils. You can find it in several biogeographic regions of Western Australia, such as the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest, Mallee, Swan Coastal Plain, and Warren.
Protecting Kunzea micrantha
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife says that Kunzea micrantha as a whole is "not threatened". This means it's not currently in danger of disappearing.
However, one of its subspecies, hirtiflora, is listed as "Priority Three". This means that hirtiflora is not very well known and is only found in a few places. While it's not in immediate danger, it's still important to keep an eye on it and protect its habitats.
