Leionema lachnaeoides facts for kids

The Leionema lachnaeoides is a special kind of tall bush. It has leaves that smell nice and bright yellow flowers. These flowers bloom from winter all the way to late spring. You can only find this plant in the Blue Mountains area of New South Wales, Australia.

What it Looks Like

The Leionema lachnaeoides is a tall shrub that can grow up to 2 meters (about 6.5 feet) high. Its stems are white and start with tiny, silver, star-shaped hairs. As the plant grows, these hairs become smooth.

Its leaves are long and thin, like a small cylinder. They are about 0.8 mm long and 1 mm wide. The leaves grow one after another along the branches. They have a small curve pointing upwards and end in a sharp tip. Both sides of the leaves are smooth and feel a bit like leather. Their edges are rolled under, almost hiding the lighter color underneath.

The yellow flowers grow one by one where the leaves meet the stem. Each flower sits on a short stalk about 1.5 mm long. This stalk is covered in soft, star-shaped hairs. Below the flower, there's a small, fleshy stem about 2 mm long with four tiny leaf-like parts called bracts.

The green outer parts of the flower, called sepals, are shaped like triangles and are about 0.5 mm long. They are smooth. The five yellow petals spread out and are shaped like narrow ovals, about 5 mm long. They are smooth and have small dots called glands. Inside the flower, there are five bright yellow stamens, which are just a bit longer than the petals.

After the flowers, the plant produces dry, round fruits. These fruits have a clear beak-like tip that is 2-3 mm long. The seeds are released from these fruits in early summer.

How it Got its Name

This plant was first described in 1825 by a botanist named Allan Cunningham. Later, in 1998, another botanist, Paul G. Wilson, changed its scientific name to Leionema lachnaeoides. He published this new name in a science journal called Nuytsia.

The second part of its name, lachnaeoides, comes from two Greek words. "Lachne" means "soft wool," and "-oides" means "resembling." This name refers to the soft, woolly hairs found on the plant.

Where it Lives

The Leionema lachnaeoides grows in rocky areas. You can find it among heath and scrubland plants. It lives west of Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. It also grows in places like Shipley Plateau near Blackheath.

Why it Needs Our Help

This plant is considered "endangered." This means it is at a high risk of disappearing forever. It is protected under a law called the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

There are several reasons why this plant is endangered:

• Weed invasion: Other plants, called weeds, are growing in its habitat and taking over.
• Changed water flow: The way water moves through the area has changed, which can harm the plant.
• Fire problems: The natural fire patterns in the area have changed. Too many fires, or not enough fires, can hurt the plant's ability to grow and reproduce.