Leionema carruthersii facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Leionema carruthersii |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Leionema
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| Species: |
carruthersii
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Leionema carruthersii is a small, special shrub that grows only in southern New South Wales, Australia. It has mostly greenish-yellow flowers with unique long, red parts called stamens. Its leaves are shaped like spears or eggs.
What Does Leionema carruthersii Look Like?
Leionema carruthersii is a small bush that can grow up to about 1 meter (3 feet) tall. Its leaves are shaped like ovals or spears. They are about 0.7 to 1.2 centimeters (0.3 to 0.5 inches) long and 1.5 to 5 millimeters (0.06 to 0.2 inches) wide. The edges of the leaves are rolled, and their bases can be heart-shaped or square.
The stems are thin and needle-like, sometimes having fine, soft hairs. The leaves are spread out and have a short stalk called a petiole. The surface of the leaves has a few soft, fine hairs.
The plant produces groups of 4 to 10 hanging flowers. Each flower hangs on a small stalk called a pedicel, which is about 2 to 5 millimeters long. The flowers are usually yellowish-green, but sometimes they can be red. They have very special, long, red stamens. These stamens are much longer than the petals, which are about 7 to 9 millimeters long. The flowers grow at the ends of branches or from where leaves meet the stem.
The green parts that protect the flower bud, called calyces, are long and cone-shaped with small, triangle-shaped tips. After flowering, the plant produces a rough, bumpy seed pod. It is about 5.5 millimeters long and has two small horn-like bumps. This plant usually flowers in winter.
How Leionema carruthersii Got Its Name
The plant Leionema carruthersii was officially described in 1998 by a scientist named Paul G. Wilson. He published his description in a science journal called Nuytsia.
The second part of its scientific name, carruthersii, might have been chosen to honor Joseph Carruthers. He was a very important person who used to be the Premier of New South Wales. A Premier is like the leader of a state government.
Where Leionema carruthersii Grows
This special plant only grows in a small area along the south coast of New South Wales. You can find it from Batemans Bay down to Bega. It likes to grow in a type of forest called sclerophyll forest. These forests have tough, dry leaves. It often grows on rocky areas made of granite.
