Lawrencia squamata facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lawrencia squamata |
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| Lawrencia squamata | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Lawrencia
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| Species: |
squamata
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
| Synonyms | |
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Lawrencia squamata is a unique plant that belongs to the mallow family, also known as Malvaceae. You can find this interesting plant growing all across mainland Australia. It's special because it's found only in Australia, meaning it's an endemic plant.
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
Lawrencia squamata is also known as thorny lawrencia or fan-leaved lawrencia. It's a spiky plant that can grow as a small bush or a herb. It usually stands between 2 centimeters and 1.5 meters tall.
Its leaves are covered in tiny scales and are not lobed, meaning they don't have deep cuts or divisions. The leaves are typically 10 to 40 millimeters long and 5 to 20 millimeters wide.
Flowers of the Thorny Lawrencia
The flowers of Lawrencia squamata have both an outer green part called a calyx and colorful petals called a corolla. The petals can be yellow, white, red, or purple.
These flowers grow from where the leaves meet the stem. You can see them blooming at different times depending on the state:
- In WA, they bloom from August to January.
- In SA, they bloom from May to November.
- In Victoria, they bloom from September to November.
The plant is also dioecious, which means that male and female flowers grow on separate plants. The male parts of the flower, called stamens, are many and joined together.
Where Does It Grow?
This plant prefers to grow in clay soils. You can often find it around the edges of salty lakes and in low, salty areas.
How Was It Named?
The plant Lawrencia squamata was first officially described by a scientist named Nees von Esenbeck in 1845.
