Leionema diosmeum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Leionema diosmeum |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Leionema
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| Species: |
diosmeum
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The Leionema diosmeum is a special kind of shrub. It belongs to the Rutaceae family, which also includes citrus fruits like oranges! This plant is only found in southern New South Wales, Australia. It grows straight up and has stems covered in fine, soft hairs. Its leaves can be different shapes, and it shows off beautiful yellow flowers from late winter into spring.
What Does It Look Like?
The Leionema diosmeum is a shrub that can grow up to about 2 meters (that's over 6 feet) tall. Its branches are smooth. The leaves are usually shaped like needles, but sometimes they can be oval or spear-shaped. They are about 0.4 to 2 centimeters long and 1 to 4 millimeters wide. The tips of the leaves are rounded.
The top side of the leaves can be smooth or have soft, thin hairs. The bottom side has rough, star-shaped hairs. The flowers grow in tight bunches at the ends of the branches. Each flower has creamy-yellow petals, which are often a light red on the outside near the tip. These flowers appear in clusters during spring. After the flowers, the plant produces small, upright fruits, each about 4 millimeters long.
How It Got Its Name
The Leionema diosmeum was officially described for the first time by a scientist named Paul G. Wilson. He wrote about it in a scientific journal called Nuytsia. This is how plants get their official names and become known to the science world!
Where Does It Grow?
This unique shrub loves to grow on sandstone. You can find it in dry sclerophyll forests and heathlands. These are types of Australian bushland where plants have tough leaves to survive dry conditions. You'll find this plant south of the famous Royal National Park in New South Wales.
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