Lesueur beaufortia facts for kids

Beaufortia kwongkanicola, often called Lesueur beaufortia, is a unique plant. It belongs to the myrtle family. This plant grows only in the south-west part of Western Australia. This means it is endemic to that area. It is a shrub with many leaves packed closely together. It has large, deep purple flowers. These flowers bloom in late winter and spring. You can find this plant in the northern kwongkan areas.

What Does the Lesueur Beaufortia Look Like?

The Lesueur beaufortia is a shrub. It can grow up to 1 m (3 ft) tall and wide. Its leaves grow in pairs, one across from the other. The leaves are long and thin, or shaped like a narrow egg. They are usually 3–8 mm (0.1–0.3 in) long. They are also 1–2.5 mm (0.04–0.1 in) wide. Often, many leaves are crowded together on the stems.

The flowers grow in round clusters. These clusters are found at the ends of the branches. Each flower has 5 sepals. Sepals are small, leaf-like parts that protect the flower bud. It also has 5 petals, which are the colorful parts. There are 5 groups of stamens. Stamens are the parts that produce pollen. These stamen groups are deep red to purple. They are 3–8 mm (0.1–0.3 in) long. They are also very hairy on the inside. Each group has 5 to 7 stamens. The ends of these stamens separate from the group at different spots.

The plant flowers from July to November. After the flowers, it grows fruit. These fruits are woody capsules. A capsule is a dry fruit that opens to release seeds. These capsules are 10–13.5 mm (0.4–0.5 in) long. They are about 8 mm (0.3 in) wide. Many of them grow very close together.

How the Lesueur Beaufortia Got Its Name

Scientists give plants special names. This helps everyone know exactly which plant they are talking about. The Lesueur beaufortia was first officially described in 2016. This was done by a scientist named Andrew A. Burbidge. The description was published in a science journal called Nuytsia.

The second part of its scientific name, "kwongkanicola," is special. It tells us something about the plant. This part refers to the kwongkan vegetation. This is the type of plant community where this species is often found.

Where Does the Lesueur Beaufortia Live?

The Lesueur beaufortia grows in sandy soils. These soils are often found over a hard, reddish layer called laterite. It lives in the Lesueur sandplain region. This area includes several biogeographic regions. These regions are the Avon Wheatbelt, the Geraldton Sandplains, and the Swan Coastal Plain. These are all specific areas in Western Australia.

Is the Lesueur Beaufortia Safe?

It is important to protect plants and animals. The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife keeps track of plant safety. They have looked at Beaufortia kwongkanicola. They have decided it is "Not Threatened." This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing.